The Moon is Earth’s only natural satellite and one of the most recognizable celestial bodies in the night sky. Located at an average distance of about 238,855 miles (384,400 kilometers) from Earth, the Moon plays a crucial role in various terrestrial phenomena, including influencing tides, stabilizing Earth’s axial tilt, and providing nighttime illumination. Its surface, marked by craters, solidified basaltic maria, and mountainous regions, records a long history of impacts and ancient geological activity.

The Moon is the fifth-largest natural satellite in the solar system, with a diameter of approximately 2,159 miles (3,474 kilometers). It is primarily composed of silicate rocks and has a very thin atmosphere called an exosphere. The Earth-Moon relationship has been fundamental to the development of life, affecting the climate and providing a natural rhythm for many species. NASA’s Apollo missions, which landed the first humans on the Moon between 1969 and 1972, greatly expanded our understanding of the Moon, bringing back rock samples and data that revealed much about its formation and the history of the solar system.