Space is filled with lots of moons. There are 173 known moons in our solar system but only one of them orbits the Earth, that’s the one we call the Moon!
The Moon reflects the light from the Sun. It isn’t actually a planet, it’s a natural satellite. The Moon is the Earth's only natural satellite. A natural satellite is a name given to a smaller body that orbits a larger body.
It is believed that the Moon was formed around 4.5 billion years ago when a large object hit the Earth, blasting out rocks that were orbiting the Earth that eventually melted together and formed the Moon.
For millions of years after, pieces of rock kept hitting the surface of the Moon and this is why the Moon is covered with craters. A crater is a large hole in the ground which has been caused by something hitting it or by an explosion.
The Moon is 240,250 miles from Earth. The gravity of the Moon pulling on the Earth causes two high tides on Earth every day, one every 12 hours and 25 minutes apart.
Fun fact
Did you know that the first person to walk on the Moon was a man called Neil Armstrong?
