For a very long time, the Moon has served as a focal point for Earth-related research. The tides, for example, are affected by its presence on the planet. It is estimated that the Moon formed roughly 4.5 billion years ago, not long after the solar system was created.
One hypothesis holds that the Moon was formed after a massive astronomical object called Theia, about the size of Mars, collided with Earth 4.5 billion years ago. It is the only location outside of Earth where people have ever set foot.The Moon, commonly known as Luna in Latin, is the subject of NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day.
Though most images show the Moon as a clear white sphere, in reality, the lunar surface is heavily cratered due to numerous asteroid strikes on its surface during its 4.6 billion year old history. The image was captured by Kurdish astrophotographer Darya Kawa Mirza. It is a composite of multiple images and enhanced to bring up real featuresof the lunar surface.
NASA’s justificationIn reality, the Moon does not appear this way. The Moon on Earth does not naturally exhibit this rich texture, and its hues are softer. But the reality on which this digital fabrication is built. The displayed image is a composite made from several images that has been modified to highlight actual surface details. The improvements, for instance, more vividly display craters that demonstrate the intense bombardment our Moon has endured over the course of its 4.6 billion year history.Less craters can be seen in the shadowy regions known as “maria,” which were originally vast lava seas. Although based on the actual composition of the moon, the visual colors are also altered and enhanced. Here, a blue color denotes an iron-rich area, whereas an orange hue denotes a mild aluminum surplus.
Although the Moon has shown the same side to the Earth for billions of years, modern technology is allowing humanity to learn much more about it — and how it affects the Earth. Follow HT Tech for the latest tech news and reviews , also keep up with us on Twitter, Facebook, Google News, and Instagram. For our latest videos, subscribe to our YouTube channel.
