How far away is the moon?

The moon is at an average distance of 238,855 miles (384,400 kilometers) away from Earth. That is about the width of 30 Earths. Because the moon does not orbit Earth in a perfect circle, but instead travels in a slightly elliptical orbit, its distance from Earth varies between 225,700 miles (363,300 kilometers) and 252,000 miles (405,500 kilometers).

How small is the moon compared to Earth?

The moon has a diameter of 2,159 miles (3,476 kilometers) and is about one-quarter the size of Earth. The moon weighs about 80 times less than Earth.

What is the temperature on the moon?

The temperature on the moon varies from -387 Fahrenheit (-233 Celsius), at night, to 253 Fahrenheit (123 Celsius) during the day. Because the moon has no atmosphere to block some of the sun's rays or to help trap heat at night, its temperature varies greatly between day and night.

How many astronauts have walked on the moon?

Twelve astronauts walked on the moon between 1969 and 1972. They were part of the six Apollo missions which each landed two astronauts on the moon's surface.

How does the moon shine?

The moon does not make its own light, instead the light we see from the moon is really sunlight that is reflected from the moon's surface.

How much would I weigh on the moon?

On the moon a person would weigh six times less than they do on Earth. This is because the moon has one sixth the gravity of Earth. The low gravity on the moon made it easier for the astronauts to move around and even jump (as shown in the photo).

What causes a ring around the moon?

Rings around the moon are caused when moonlight passes through thin clouds of ice crystals high in Earth's atmosphere. As moonlight passes through the ice crystals, it is bent in a way similar to light passing through a lens. The shape of the ice crystals causes the moonlight to be focused into a ring. This is similar to the way water droplets in the lower atmosphere can bend sunlight to create a rainbow.

What is a blue moon?

A blue moon is what people call the second of two full moons that appear during the same month. A second full moon can appear within the same month because full moons occur about every 29.5 days. So if a full moon occurs in the first day or two of a month, except for February, a second full moon can occur during one of the last days of that month as well.

How long does it take to travel to the moon?

It takes about 3 days for a spacecraft to reach the moon. During that time a spacecraft travels about 240,000 miles (386,400 kilometers) which is the distance between Earth and the moon.

How long is a day on the moon?

A day on the moon is 27.32 Earth days or 655.72 hours long.

How fast does the moon travel around Earth?

The moon orbits Earth at a speed of 2,288 miles per hour (3,683 kilometers per hour). During this time it travels a distance of 1,423,000 miles (2,290,000 kilometers).

Why does the moon follow me when I move?

The moon appears to follow you because it is very far away, and objects like trees and houses that you pass by are very close by comparison. As you walk or drive along, things much closer to you, like trees and houses, appear to move between you and the moon. Because the moon is so far away, it doesn't seem to move at all (compared to you) and appears to be following you.