The Earth and Moon Planetary System
Explanation:
How similar in size are the
Earth and the
Moon?
A
dramatic visual answer to this question
is found by combining photographs taken by the
Mariner 10 spacecraft that headed out toward
Venus and
Mercury in 1973.
The
Moon can be seen to have a diameter over one quarter that of
Earth,
relatively large compared to its
planetary companion.
In our
Solar System, only
Pluto and Charon
are closer together in size.
Striking features of the
Earth
visible to the passing spacecraft include
blue oceans and
white clouds,
showing the Earth
to be truly a
water world.
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.
