The document summarizes key facts about Earth and its moon: 1) Earth is unique in our solar system for having liquid water and a stable atmosphere that supports life. The moon is Earth's only natural satellite. 2) It is believed that the moon formed over 4 billion years ago when a Mars-sized planet collided with Earth, ejecting material that coalesced to form the moon. 3) The moon has different terrain types including dark volcanic lowlands called maria and bright, heavily cratered highlands. Humans first visited the moon in 1969 through the Apollo missions, with the last mission in 1972.

1. Earth and Moon Full Earth from Apollo 17

10. The Earth’s Major Tectonic Plates The boundaries of Earth’s tectonic plates show different motions Sliding past one another Separating Colliding

12. Earth is surrounded by a magnetic field believed to be produced by convection in its molten iron core. The magnetic field produced is similar to that of a bar magnet. The axis of the Earth’s magnetic field differs from the axis of rotation by 11 °, placing the north magnetic pole in a different location than the geographic (true) North Pole.

13. The Earth’s Magnetic Field Protects us from the Solar Wind

14. Near the magnetic poles, these particles sometimes leak into our atmosphere, causing the gases to glow. This is known as the aurora or northern lights.

21. Waxing Phases

24. Perigee and Apogee Apogee and perigee cause the moon to be slightly larger or smaller throughout the year

27. 20 Full Moons

31. Lunar Maria (Seas) Sea of Clouds Mare Nubium Sea of Moisture Mare Humorum Known Sea Mare Cognitum Sea of Isles Mare Insularum Ocean of Storms Oceanus Procellarum Sea of Rains Mare Imbrium Sea of Cold Mare Frigoris Sea of Vapors Mare Vaporum Sea of Nectar Mare Nectaris Sea of Tranquility Mare Tranquilitatis Sea of Serenity Mare Serenitatis Sea of Fertility Mare Fecunditatis Sea of Crises Mare Crisium Meaning Name

33. Copernicus http://www.usno.navy.mil/pao/Digipix/coper041007_20041007_1029_001.jpg

34. Galileo’s Moon Paintings, Sketch http://www.mhhe.com/physsci/astronomy/fix/student/images/09f18.jpg

39. Sinus Iridum

40. Sinus Iridum Named http://www.webcam-astrophotography.com/moon/sinus-iridum.html

46. http://www.nasm.si.edu/collections/imagery/apollo/FIGURES/LandingSitesMaps.jpg

51. The similarity in materials making up the Earth and Moon suggest that the Moon may have been created from Earth material ejected after a collision with a large planetesimal. EARTH MOON This computer simulation shows how the Moon could have been formed in a collision between the Earth and a large planetesimal.