What are Moons?
Moons are round objects that orbit planets or asteroids. Except for Venus and Mercury, all planets have one or more moons. Jupiter’s Ganymede is the largest of the 200 natural satellites in our solar system.
Our Earth has just one natural satellite that we call the Moon. It is the fifth largest moon in the solar system, but it is less than half the size of Earth.
The Moon’s outer surface looks like a desert with mountains, valleys, plains, and craters. Humans cannot live on the Moon because it has a weak atmosphere and no liquid water.
How is the Moon important to the Earth?
During its early days, the Moon protected Earth’s atmosphere from the solar winds. A thick atmosphere, with necessary gases like oxygen, allowed life to develop on our planet. The force of the Moon and the Sun’s gravity causes tides on the surface of our oceans. According to scientists, tidal areas played an important role in the evolution of plant and animal life on Earth. The Earth does not just revolve around the Sun but also rotates on its own. The length of a day depends on how long the Earth takes to complete one rotation. The Moon’s gravity helped slow down the speed of Earth, giving us a 24-hour long day.
Without the Moon, the Earth would move in a shaky and unsteady manner. The Earth’s stable position is why we can enjoy a stable climate and different seasons, e.g. summer, winter, etc.
What is a Supercomputer?
A supercomputer is a computer that has higher speed and memory. It can perform long and tough calculations, which is why it is used to predict the weather, do scientific experiments, etc.
Recently, scientists took the help of a supercomputer to study how the Moon came into being. The Moon formed billions of years ago after a Mars-sized body smashed into the Earth. The study claims that the Moon may have taken shape within a few hours of this accident.
Why is it necessary to know about the Moon’s evolution?
The Moon and the Earth have a long and shared past. Thus, learning about the Moon’s evolution will allow us to know how life developed on Earth.
Since the Earth is the only known planet in the universe to have life, scientists wish to study the reasons for its unique nature.
What do you find most interesting about our solar system? Do tell us in the comments below.
