Formation of the Moon

Picture from en.wikipedia.org

Approximately 4.472 billion years ago, Earth’s only natural satellite formed. There are many different theories as to how the moon was created. The first stated that it was a large asteroid brought in by Earth’s gravity pull. However, they later discovered this hypothesis was impossible due to the similar composition of the moon and Earth; it is also inaccurate because a meteor could never have the exact orbit that the moon does. Currently, the most common theory began with a huge, Mars-sized meteorite striking Earth. This sent immense pieces of Earth’s crust into space, which was then bound together by the forces of gravity.


Even though the formation of the moon seemed to be most important back when it was formed, the moon remains an indispensable contributor to life on Earth. The tides may seem like arbitrary times that mean nothing more than moving back the lawn chairs a few feet on the beach, but most species of eels rely on these tides to push them across the ocean. Our moon also acts as a beacon for young sea turtles, who fight to make that first splash into the water. If the moon weren’t there, the Earth’s gravity alone wouldn’t be able to retain its 23.5 degree tilt or our own gravity, causing the Earth to oscillate violently. This would cause devastating climate change, disallowing anything on Earth to live. Although we humans may not fully depend on the movement of the tides, the moon continues to be an essential protector to life on Earth.