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If we had a time machine, what would the moon of Earth look like 4 billion years ago? place to acquire and share knowledge, to empower people to learn from others and to better understand the world
Response from Corey Powell, author of the book and science editor at Aeon, former editor-in-chief of Discover, on Quora: [19659005] If we had a time machine, what would the Earth's moon look like 4 billion years ago?
Part of what's fascinating about this issue is that you Realize how much the history of the solar system has already passed 4 billion years ago 4.5 billion years ago, the Moon formed (probably as a result of. a titanic collision between the Earth and a protoplanet the size of a Mars) at the time of formatio in orbit around 15,000-20,000 miles, as opposed to the current average distance of 238,000 miles. (The figures are approximate because they are based on models that contain many uncertainties.)
Just after her training, the moon was extremely hot. Its entire outer surface was a deep "ocean of magma" of molten rock. It would have shone a dark red in the sky of the Earth, seeming 15 times wider than the Moon was doing today
But this is not not the Moon 4 billion years ago! 19659008] Remember, 500 million years is a long period of time. The early tides between Earth and Moon were very powerful. As a result, the moon has become "locked" in the 100 million years. From that moment, its rotation and orbit periods were the same, and only one side of the Moon has ever faced the Earth. The orbit of the Moon has also developed rapidly. After 500 million years, the Moon was orbiting 20 distant terrestrial rays, some 80,000 miles away. It would have appeared 3 times larger than today (still quite dramatic). This diagram shows a slightly later era, but quite close
Parts of the lunar surface have cooled and solidified during the first tens of millions of years of its formation. We know that Apollo astronauts have brought back some of these oldest lunar rocks to the house. 4 billion years ago, the entire outer surface of the Moon consisted of greyish solid rocks. But the drama was not over.
During the period of 4.1 billion to 3.8 billion years ago, the moon experienced a series of huge impacts. These impacts were apparently part of a chaotic episode in the history of the solar system called Late Heavy Bombardment (although the details, and even the very existence of the bombing, are still actively debated). They did not arrive all at once, as represented here but they must have been an impressive sight.
One day, around this era, another huge object may have missed the moon. in a slightly different orbit. This would explain why the orbit of the Moon is shifted by about 5 degrees relative to the Earth's equator. Depending on how it formed, the Moon should have started almost perfectly aligned.
These giant impacts were accompanied by a huge effusion of lava that flooded much of the Earth's lunar hemisphere. 4 billion years ago, it was at the top of this volcanic orgy. The lunar highlands have appeared as they do now, a solid greyish rock. But what we now see as the lunar "seas" were then real seas of molten rocks: huge volcanic fountains in some places, hot lava in others, cooling zones, dark basaltic rocks that were beginning to form.
This visualization of NASA gives you an idea of things from that time.
3.8 billion years ago, most of this lava was cooled in dark, smooth plains. At that time, the Moon looked a lot like what it is today, aside from missing a bunch of craters that hailed its surface in the years that followed. Lunar volcanic activity shrank quickly and ended almost entirely 1 billion years ago. Today, all we see are the scars of the beginning of the dramatic life of the Moon. Here is a brief summary of the lunar evolution: NASA Viz: Moon Struck
This question originally appeared on Quora – the place to acquire and share knowledge, give people the ways to learn from others and to better understand the world. You can follow Quora on Twitter Facebook and Google+. More Questions:
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If we had a time machine, what would the moon of the Earth look like 4 billion years ago? 19659003] the place to acquire and share knowledge , empowering people to learn from others and to better understand the world
Response from Corey Powell, Book Author and Scientific Editor at Aeon, Former Editor-in-Chief of Discover, on Quora:
had a time machine, what would the Earth's moon look like 4 billion years ago?
Part of what's fascinating about this issue is to understand just how much l & # 39; 39, history of the solar system 4 billion years ago.
The Moon was formed (probably as a result of a titanic collision between the Earth and a protoplanet the size of d & # 39; A March) 4.5 billion years ago., It was in orbit around 15,000-20,000 miles , as opposed to the current average distance of 238,000 miles. (The figures are approximate because they are based on models that contain many uncertainties.)
Just after her training, the moon was extremely hot. Its entire outer surface was a deep "ocean of magma" of molten rock. It would have shone a dark red in the sky of the Earth, looking 15 times wider than the moon has done today.
But that is and not the moon there are 4 billion years! 19659008] Remember, 500 million years is a long period of time. The early tides between Earth and Moon were very powerful. As a result, the moon has become "locked" in the 100 million years. From that moment, its rotation and orbit periods were the same, and only one side of the Moon has ever faced the Earth. The orbit of the Moon has also developed rapidly. After 500 million years, the Moon was orbiting 20 distant terrestrial rays, some 80,000 miles away. It would have appeared 3 times larger than today (still quite dramatic). This diagram shows a slightly later era, but quite close
Parts of the lunar surface have cooled and solidified during the first tens of millions of years of its formation. We know that Apollo astronauts have brought back some of these oldest lunar rocks to the house. 4 billion years ago, the entire outer surface of the Moon consisted of greyish solid rocks. But the drama was not over.
During the period of 4.1 billion to 3.8 billion years ago, the moon experienced a series of huge impacts. These impacts were apparently part of a chaotic episode in the history of the solar system called Late Heavy Bombardment (although the details, and even the very existence of the bombing, are still actively debated). They did not arrive all at once, as represented here but they must have been an impressive sight.
One day, around this era, another huge object may have missed the moon. in a slightly different orbit. This would explain why the orbit of the Moon is shifted by about 5 degrees relative to the Earth's equator. Depending on how it formed, the Moon should have started almost perfectly aligned.
These giant impacts were accompanied by a huge effusion of lava that flooded much of the Earth's lunar hemisphere. 4 billion years ago, it was at the top of this volcanic orgy. The lunar highlands have appeared as they do now, a solid greyish rock. But what we now see as the lunar "seas" were then real seas of molten rocks: huge volcanic fountains in some places, hot lava in others, cooling zones, dark basaltic rocks that were beginning to form.
This visualization of NASA gives you an idea of things from that time.
3.8 billion years ago, most of this lava was cooled in dark, smooth plains. At that time, the Moon looked a lot like what it is today, aside from missing a bunch of craters that hailed its surface in the years that followed. Lunar volcanic activity shrank quickly and ended almost entirely 1 billion years ago. Today, all we see are the scars of the beginning of the dramatic life of the Moon. Here is a brief summary of the lunar evolution: NASA Viz: Moon Struck
This question originally appeared on Quora – the place to acquire and share knowledge, give people the ways to learn from others and to better understand the world. You can follow Quora on Twitter Facebook and Google+. More questions:
