Where did the moon come from?
Most people know the basics about the moon. It orbits our planet in a slight ellipse, just as our planet orbits the sun. The relationship between the Earth, the sun and the moon creates the moon’s phases as well as solar and lunar eclipses. On clear nights, a full moon outshines many stars by reflecting light from the sun. But the moon is more than just a pretty face. It contributes to the ocean’s tides on Earth. Its presence also helps regulate the Earth’s orbit. Space.com’s article on moon mechanics explains many of the ways that the moon affects the Earth. “); //–> Your browser does not support JavaScript or it is disabled. INSERT CAPTION HERE –> But how did it get here? There are four main theories: • It’s a broken piece of Earth. During the early, rapidly spinning days of the solar nebula, the moon might have broken away from the Earth. Scientists question this theory because the Earth probably wasn’t rotating fast enough to spin off a whole moon. • It’s the Earth’s baby brother
