Exploring Moon Formation: The Giant Impact Theory Explained
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Chapter 1: The Moon's Enigmatic Origin
The Moon, located approximately 384,400 kilometers away from Earth, has captivated the interest of astronomers and scientists for centuries.
The prevailing theory regarding its formation is the "Giant Impact Hypothesis," which has sparked extensive discussion and investigation among experts.
When Theia Collided with Earth
Around 4.5 billion years ago, a significant event unfolded in our solar system. According to the Giant Impact Hypothesis, a colossal object, comparable in size to Mars and named "Theia," collided with the young Earth.
This catastrophic impact was so intense that it resulted in the complete merging of Earth and Theia, generating extreme heat and releasing debris from both bodies. The expelled material began to orbit Earth, creating a rotating disk known as the "accretion disk." Over time, this debris coalesced into small celestial bodies referred to as "proto-moons." These proto-moons eventually collided and fused, leading to the formation of our Moon.
Photo by malith d karunarathne on Unsplash
The Moon's Capture by Earth's Gravity
Given Earth's significantly larger mass, the Moon was captured by our planet's gravitational pull. Since its inception, the Moon has been in an elliptical orbit around Earth. The interplay of gravitational attraction and orbital speed maintains this delicate balance.
Interestingly, the Moon is gradually drifting away from Earth at a rate of 3.8 centimeters each year, a phenomenon known as lunar recession.
Thank you for engaging with this exploration of lunar formation! I look forward to sharing more intriguing insights with you soon.
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