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 …

Dec 20, 2025 · 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 …

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 …

2 days ago · Like Earth, the Moon has a day side and a night side, which change as the Moon rotates. The Sun always illuminates half of the Moon while the other half remains dark.

Explore the current phase of the moon, its rise and set times, nightly motion across the sky, and discover lunar features with our interactive map. Stay informed about the celestial movements …

23 hours ago · What is today’s moon phase? As of Tuesday, Dec. 30, the moon phase is Waxing Gibbous. According to NASA's Daily Moon Observation, 79% of the moon will be lit up tonight.

2 days ago · The moon and sun share top billing in 2026. Kicking off the year's cosmic wonders is the moon, drawing the first astronauts to visit in more than 50 years.

Dec 15, 2025 · Research shows a full moon can modestly affect sleep, but its influence on mental health is much less certain.

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 …

Jul 7, 2025 · It orbits the Earth at an average distance of approximately 240,000 miles (384,000 km). The Moon completes an orbit of the Earth every 27.3 days (approximately 655 hours). …