What is the moon made of, and how did it form? Learn about the moon's violent origins, how its phases shaped the earliest calendars, and how humans first explored earth's only natural satellite half a Ò€¦ The moon and sun share top billing in 2026.

In geophysical terms, the moon is a planetary-mass object or satellite planet. Its mass is 1. 2% that of the earth, and its diameter is 3,474 km (2,159 mi), roughly one-quarter of earth's (about as wide as the Ò€¦ Find the moonÒ€ℒs illumination, distance, and latitude for any time on any date. The moon has four primary and four intermediate lunar phases during a lunar month. Here's all you need to know about each Ò€¦

Here's all you need to know about each Ò€¦