Earth's Moon, A Familiar Face
Explanation:
The above mosaic of the Earth's
Moon was compiled from photos taken by the spacecraft
Clementine
in 1994. This image represents the side of the Moon familiar to Earth dwellers.
The
Moon
revolves around the
Earth about once every 28 days. Since its rate of rotation about its
axis is also once in 28 days, it always keeps the same face toward
the Earth. As the Moon travels around its orbit, the Earth based view
of the half of the
Moon that faces the
Sun changes causing the regular monthly progression
of Lunar phases.
Humans first crashed a
spacecraft into the Moon
in 1959, but the first humans to reach the Moon
landed in 1969. There are now
golf
balls on the Moon.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
