In geophysical terms, the Moon is a planetary-mass object or satellite planet. Its mass is 1.2% that of the Earth, and its diameter is 3,474 km (2,159 mi), roughly one-quarter of Earth's (about as wide as the …

Dec 17, 2025 · The Earth and Moon are tidally locked. Their rotations are so in sync we only see one side of the Moon. Humans didn't see the lunar far side until a Soviet spacecraft flew past in 1959. …

Jan 3, 2026 · Use our Moon Phase Calendar to find dates and times of the full Moon, new Moon, and every phase in between. Beyond the phases of the Moon, you will also see daily Moon illumination …

We see the full moon when the sun is directly behind us, illuminating a full hemisphere of the moon when it is directly in front of us.

3 days ago · Current moon phase, including information about its position, illumination, moonrise, and moonset.

What is the moon made of, and how did it form? Learn about the moon's violent origins, how its phases shaped the earliest calendars, and how humans first explored Earth's only natural satellite half a …

6 days ago · Find planets, stars, and constellations in your night sky. See the Moon's position in its orbit around Earth in real-time as well as past and future Moon phases, illumination, distance from Earth, …

Jan 13, 2026 · Particles from Earth’s atmosphere have been carried into space by solar wind and landing on the moon for billions of years, mixing into the lunar soil, according to a new study.

The moon is the Earth's only natural satellite and the closest celestial object. Learn about the moon and some of the theories about the moon's origin.

3 days ago · Moon, Earth’s sole natural satellite and nearest celestial body. Known since prehistoric times, it is the brightest object in the sky after the Sun. Its name in English, like that of Earth, is of …