Moon

Moon is a fascinating moon in our Solar System that has captured the attention of astronomers and space enthusiasts alike. With a Moon radius of 1,737 km, making it 3.7× smaller than Earth's size, this celestial body presents unique characteristics that distinguish it from other objects in our cosmic neighborhood. Positioned at an average distance of 384,400 km (0.003 AU) from the Sun, Moon occupies a significant place in the Solar System's architecture. As a moon, Moon demonstrates the incredible diversity of natural satellites that orbit larger celestial bodies throughout our Solar System.

The Moon physical characteristics reveal a world of remarkable dimensions and properties. The Moon radius measures 1,737 km, making it 3.7× smaller than Earth's size. The equatorial radius of 1,738.1 km and polar radius of 1,736 km create a slight flattening of 0.12%, indicating the planet's rotation affects its shape. The Moon mass of 7.35e+22 kg represents 81.3× smaller than Earth's mass, giving this world substantial gravitational influence. With a volume of 2.20e+10 km³, Moon occupies significant space in the Solar System. The Moon density of 3.344 g/cm³ (1.6× smaller than Earth's density) provides clues about its internal composition, while the surface gravity of 1.62 m/s² (6.1× smaller than Earth's gravity) determines how objects behave on its surface. The moderate density suggests a mixed composition of rocky and icy materials.

The Moon orbit reveals fascinating details about its journey around the Sun and its relationship to other Solar System objects. The Moon orbit has a semimajor axis of 384,400 km (0.003 AU), placing it 389.2× smaller than Earth's distance from the Sun. At its closest approach (perihelion), Moon comes within 363,300 km of the Sun, while at its farthest point (aphelion), it reaches 405,500 km, creating a 11.0% variation in solar distance. The Moon orbit is nearly circular with an eccentricity of 0.055 (3.3× Earth's orbital eccentricity), resulting in relatively stable solar heating throughout its year. The Moon orbit takes 0.01 hours to complete (1155058.0× smaller than Earth's orbital period), defining the length of its year. The orbital inclination of 5.145° indicates how much the Moon orbit is tilted relative to the Solar System's ecliptic plane. This moderate inclination indicates a typical orbital evolution for objects in this region of the Solar System.

The Moon rotation and axial orientation provide crucial insights into its daily and seasonal cycles, as well as its orbital dynamics. The Moon rotation period of 0.18 hours (131.4× smaller than Earth's rotation period) determines the length of its day. This extremely fast rotation creates intense centrifugal forces and may contribute to the planet's flattened shape. The Moon axial tilt of 6.68° (3.5× smaller than Earth's axial tilt) determines the intensity and nature of seasonal variations. This moderate tilt produces seasonal variations similar to Earth, with changing day lengths and temperature patterns throughout the year. The orbital orientation parameters reveal additional details about Moon's position in space. The mean anomaly of 0° indicates the planet's current position in its orbit relative to its perihelion. The argument of periapsis of 0° shows how the orbit's orientation changes over time due to gravitational perturbations. The longitude of ascending node of 0° defines the reference point where the orbit crosses the ecliptic plane.

The Moon temperature and atmospheric conditions are fundamental to understanding its habitability and environmental characteristics. The Moon average temperature of 0.0 K (-273.1 °C) (-459.7°F) provides the baseline for understanding its climate. These extremely cold temperatures make Moon inhospitable to life as we know it, with any atmosphere likely frozen solid on the surface. Compared to Earth's average temperature of 15°C (59°F), Moon presents a dramatically different thermal environment. Being closer to the Sun than Earth, Moon receives more intense solar radiation, contributing to its temperature profile.

The Moon escape velocity and shape characteristics reveal important details about its gravitational field and rotational dynamics. The Moon escape velocity of 2,380 m/s (4.7× smaller than Earth's escape velocity) determines how easily objects can break free from its gravitational pull. This relatively low escape velocity means that gases and light molecules can easily escape into space, making it difficult for Moon to retain a substantial atmosphere. The Moon flattening of 0.1200% indicates how much the planet's rotation affects its shape. This moderate flattening shows that rotation has created a slight bulge at the equator, typical of most rotating celestial bodies. The equatorial radius of 1,738.1 km compared to the polar radius of 1,736 km demonstrates this rotational deformation.