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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 

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A Chinese Long March 5 rocket launches the Chang'e 5 moon sample-return mission into orbit from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site on Hainan Island in southern China on Nov. 24, 2020 Beijing time (Nov. 23 EST).

China launches historic Chang'e 5 mission to collect the first moon samples since 1976

By Mike Wall

The first lunar sample-return mission since the 1970s is underway.

Detail shot of the Apollo 11 lunar sample return bag showing areas that have been darkened with traces of moon dust. A Kansas City, Missouri law firm claimed a 28.5% stake in the financial value of five pieces of carbon tape that NASA used to lift moon dust off the white zippered pouch for testing.

Law firm claims stake in tape strips used to lift moon dust off Apollo 11 sample bag

By Robert Z. Pearlman

The saga continues.

A Chinese Long March 5 rocket carrying the Chang'e 5 moon sample-return spacecraft rolls out to the launch pad at the Wenchang Satellite Launch Site on Hainan Island on Nov. 17, 2020.

China rolls out Long March 5 rocket for Chang'e 5 moon sample-return mission launch

By Mike Wall

A heavy-lift Long March 5 rocket topped with the robotic Chang'e 5 lunar sample-return mission rolled out to its pad at Wenchang Space Launch Center in China's Hainan province on Tuesday (Nov. 17).

Artist's illustration of Astrobotic's robotic Peregrine lander at Lacus Mortis on the moon. Peregrine's Mission One is scheduled to touch down in 2021.

Memorial spaceflight: Cremated remains flying to the moon on private lander in 2021

By Leonard David

Among the many payloads that will fly to the moon aboard Astrobotic's robotic Peregrine lander next year are capsules containing DNA samples and symbolic portions of cremated remains.

chang'e 4 yutu 2

China's Yutu 2 rover snaps stunning new panoramas from the moon's far side

By Andrew Jones

China's Chang'e 4 moon rover has been snapping new images highlighting the spacecraft's travels and discoveries on the lunar far side.

This illustration (made using real images and data) shows the moon in shadow during the "new moon" lunar phase.

November new moon 2020: Dark sky sets the stage for meteors, planets and constellations

By Jesse Emspak

The new moon occurs on Sunday, Nov. 15, just two days before the Leonid meteor shower reaches its peak.

A diagram showing the path of 2020 SO, which is likely a Centaur upper stage from a lunar mission launched during the 1960s.

A vintage NASA moon rocket body is officially back in Earth orbit … for now

By Meghan Bartels

A relic of the early days of spaceflight has likely come back to pay a brief visit to its planet of origin, according to months of observations of a near-Earth object dubbed 2020 SO.

China's Yutu rover encounters Fei Fei and Gobi in the new Netflix and Pearl Studio animated film "Over the Moon."

China's real lunar rover rolls 'Over the Moon' in Netflix animated film

By Robert Z. Pearlman

China's lunar rover helped animators add what Walt Disney once called the "plausible impossible" to the new animated film "Over the Moon."

Roscosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin speaks virtually at the 71st International Astronautical Congress on Oct. 12, 2020.

Russian space chief disses NASA's Artemis moon landing plans

By Andrew Jones

The head of Russia's space agency criticized NASA's plans to return to the moon of being "too U.S.-centric."

Full Moon with Airplane

2020 Full Moon Calendar

By Tim Sharp, Kimberly Hickok

The full moon happens once a month. Find out when.

The moon shines in this image from General Santos City, Philippines by skywatcher Peter Jones Dela Cruz on July 3, 2012.

Rare Halloween 'Blue Moon' is a spooky treat for us all

By Mike Wall

Skywatchers, ghouls and (especially) werewolves take note: The moon will be full this Halloween night across the United States

An illustration of the Gateway moon-orbiting space station planned by NASA, with major contributions from the European Space Agency and other international partners.

Europe will help build NASA's moon-orbiting Gateway space station

By Mike Wall

Europe signed a memorandum of understanding on Tuesday (Oct. 27) formalizing its collaboration on Gateway, NASA's planned outpost in lunar orbit.

The Clavius crater on the moon as seen by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. The SOFIA observatory has detected water ice in shadowed regions of this sunlit lunar location.

Water on the moon is more common than we thought, studies reveal

By Chelsea Gohd

The moon has more hidden pockets of water ice than previously thought, NASA's SOFIA flying observatory reveals.

An image of SOFIA preparing for takeoff.

NASA to announce 'exciting new discovery' about the moon today

By Meghan Bartels

NASA wants you to get excited about the moon — or more specifically, about a mysterious new science result the agency plans to unveil on today (Oct. 26).

The core stage of the SLS rocket for NASA's Artemis 1 mission, complete with four engines, seen in Louisiana in January 2020 before shipment to Mississippi for testing.

NASA SLS megarocket shortage causes tug-of-war between moon missions, Europa exploration

By Meghan Bartels

NASA is choosing between human missions to the moon and a robotic mission to Jupiter's icy moon Europa as the agency manages its limited supply of megarockets in the coming years.

The moon, Jupiter and Saturn will form a triangle in the sky on the evening of Oct. 22, 2020.

Look up! The moon will pay Jupiter and Saturn a visit tonight

By Joe Rao

Skywatchers will be treated to an eye-catching gathering in the south-southwest sky about an hour after sunset on Thursday (Oct. 22) — a large triangle formed by the moon, Jupiter and Saturn.

NASA has picked Intuitive Machines to deliver the PRIME-1 ice-mining experiment to the moon's south pole in December 2022 on the company's private Nova-C lander.

NASA picks Intuitive Machines to land an ice-mining drill on the moon

By Tariq Malik

NASA has tapped the Houston-based company Intuitive Machines to land a drill on the moon's south pole in 2022.

Illustration of a future Moon base by the European Space Agency, which hasn’t signed the Artemis Accords.

Artemis Accords: why many countries are refusing to sign moon exploration agreement

By Christopher Newman

Only eight countries have signed the Artemis Accords, a set of guidelines surrounding the Artemis Program for crewed exploration of the moon.

China's Chang'e 4 lander on the far side of the moon, as seen by the mission's Yutu 2 rover.

China unveils ambitious moon mission plans for 2024 and beyond

By Andrew Jones

China is operating a mission on the far side of the moon and is preparing to launch another this year to collect lunar samples — and it's already planning a new set of bold lunar missions.

Lunar Exocam principal investigator Jason Achilles Mezilis, pictured with a prototype Lunar ExoCam module and Masten Space Systems' Xodiac vehicle.

'Lunar ExoCam' project aims to film spacecraft touchdowns on the moon

By Mike Wall

NASA has just awarded a $650,000 grant to the team behind Lunar ExoCam, a camera system designed to eject from moon landers and record video of their touchdowns from the otherworldly gray ground.