Moon

Scientists say a giant impact knocked off the raw ingredients for the moon off the primitive molten Earth and into orbit.

Related Topics: Earth, Apollo Program, Moon Phases 

Latest Updates

Sliver of Moon Meets Jupiter

See the moon and Jupiter meet in the sky tonight (March 22)

By Robert Lea published

On Wednesday (March 22), the moon will be in conjunction with Jupiter, with the two celestial bodies making a close approach in the sky.

orange rocket stage lies on its side in a big hangar. white stripes mark the edge of the rocket and a machine of some sort sits in front of it. technicians walk in front of the rocket with yellow safety vests

Artemis 2 moon rocket coming together ahead of 2024 astronaut launch (photo)

By Elizabeth Howell published

The Artemis 2 moon rocket's core stage is nearly fully assembled aside from the engines, according to NASA. The launcher will send astronauts to the moon as soon as 2024.

A portion of the permanently shadowed Marvin crater lit by reflected light and imaged by NASA's ShadowCam on Feb. 28, 2023.

South Korean probe's NASA moon camera illuminates dark lunar crater (photo)

By Andrew Jones published

An image of a crater rim near the moon's south pole shows how NASA's ShadowCam instrument is shining new light on the darker regions of our celestial neighbor.

Artist's illustration of the Hakuto-R lander, which is operated by Japanese company ispace, at the moon.

Private Japanese moon lander reaches lunar orbit

By Mike Wall published

The Hakuto-R moon lander entered lunar orbit late Monday night (March 20), notching a huge milestone for the Japanese company ispace and private spaceflight in general.

Ceres will be at opposition on March 21, 2023, though you'll still need a telescope to see the dwarf planet.

Spot dwarf planet Ceres during the new moon tonight

By Robert Lea published

The dark skies of the new moon will offer skywatchers the chance to spot Ceres tonight (March 21), as the dwarf planet reaches opposition.

a map of the lunar surface with different shades of blue denoting different concentrations of water on the lunar surface

1st map of moon water could help Artemis astronauts live at the lunar south pole

By Sharmila Kuthunur published

Astronomers have completed the first map of water distribution on the moon, including that more water is found in shaded lunar regions than in sunlit ones.

This map shows the paths of the annular "ring of fire" solar eclipse of Oct. 14, 2023 and the April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse.

This epic NASA map shows where to see US solar eclipses in 2023 and 2024 (photos)

By Robert Lea published

A new NASA eclipse map shows where and when the annular solar eclipse on October 14, 2023, and the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, will be visible.

Artist's illustration of a moon base powered by Rolls-Royce microreactors.

Rolls-Royce gets funding to develop miniature nuclear reactor for moon base

By Josh Dinner published

The U.K. Space Agency has decided to continue funding a project by Rolls-Royce to create a small nuclear-powered reactor that could serve as a long-term energy source for lunar bases.

An illustration of the early morning sky on March 19 showing the conjunction of the moon and Saturn.

Watch the moon meet up with Saturn in the pre-dawn sky tonight

By Robert Lea published

The moon meets up with Saturn early on Sunday (March 19) with the two celestial objects in conjunction. The arrangement will be only visible in the early morning pre-dawn hours, so plan accordingly.

The moon’s Malapert Massif is thought to be a remnant of the South Pole-Aitken basin rim, which formed more than four billion years ago. More recently, this magnificent peak (lower left) was selected as an Artemis 3 candidate landing region. This image, captured by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera on March 3, 2023, is 15 miles (25 kilometers) wide in the center.

Possible Artemis 3 moon landing site spied by NASA spacecraft (photos)

By Josh Dinner published

NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter recently imaged the moon's Malapert Massif, a potential touchdown locale for NASA's Artemis 3 astronaut mission.

Artist's illustration of Firefly’s Blue Ghost lunar lander delivering NASA’s LuSEE-Night radio telescope to the far side of the moon.

NASA selects Firefly Aerospace for mission to moon's far side in 2026

By Andrew Jones published

NASA has selected Firefly Aerospace to land payloads on the moon and send another into orbit to provide communications with the lunar far side.

Jim Stein, chief engineer for EVA (extravehicular activity) systems at Axiom Space, models the company's prototype for the spacesuit NASA astronauts will wear on the moon during an event at Space Center Houston on Wednesday, March 15, 2023.

1st Artemis spacesuits to be worn on the moon will not return to Earth

By Robert Z. Pearlman published

The spacesuits worn by the first woman and next American astronaut to walk on the moon will be abandoned on a SpaceX lunar lander rather than be returned to Earth, Axiom Space confirmed.

illustration of two astronauts on the moon holding moon rocks. lights shine on their helmets and the sky is black behind

Axiom Space to reveal Artemis 3 moonwalking spacesuits today. Here's how to watch it live.

By Elizabeth Howell last updated

Axiom Space will showcase its moonwalking spacesuits for NASA in a live event on March 15. These spacesuits will debut on Artemis 3, the first moon-landing mission in decades, as soon as 2025.

an illustration of building on the surface of the moon, inside of which are farms growing plants

How astronauts could farm on the moon with lunar soil nutrients

By Samantha Mathewson published

A new technique for processing lunar soil may help foster plant growth on the moon in hopes for sustaining more long-term lunar missions.

an illustration showing the half-lit quarter moon in between the full moon and the dark new moon

Watch the half-lit last quarter moon rise tonight

By Robert Lea published

The moon reaches its last quarter phase on Tuesday at which point the lunar face is half illuminated by the light of the sun. This phase falls halfway between the full moon and the new moon.

There are more than 100 missions to the Moon planned in the coming years, including the next Artemis missions.

More lunar missions means more space junk around the moon. Two scientists are building a catalog to track the trash.

By Vishnu Reddy published

Scientists and government agencies have been worried about the space junk surrounding Earth for decades. But humanity's starry ambitions are farther reaching than the space just around Earth.

The far side of the moon, as imaged by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.

Radio telescope on moon's far side will peer into universe's 'Dark Ages'

By Josh Dinner published

A few years from now, a small radio telescope on the far side of the moon could help scientists peer into the universe's ancient past.

NASA's official meatball insignia was designed by James Modarelli in 1959.

Watch NASA discuss its 2024 federal budget request today

By Mike Wall published

NASA will discuss its allocated budget for fiscal year 2024 during a news conference on Monday (March 13), and you can watch it live.

An illustration of the night sky on March 13 showing the moon near the 'claws' of the Scorpius constellation.

See the moon in the grip of the Scorpion's claws tonight

By Robert Lea published

The moon will find itself in the grip of a cosmic scorpion's claws during the pre-dawn hours Monday (March 13) as it visits the stars in the constellation Scorpius before dawn.

a hand holding up a phone using TikTok with the full moon in the background

No, the moon phase can't help find your soulmate on TikTok

By Robert Lea published

A new TikTok trend suggests that users can compare the phases of the moon on the day they are born to determine if they are soulmates.