What Are the Theories Behind the Moon's Formation?

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SUMMARY

The leading hypothesis for the Moon's formation is the Giant Impact Theory, which posits that a Mars-sized body, known as Theia, collided with Earth, resulting in debris that eventually formed the Moon. This theory is supported by several key pieces of evidence, including the angular momentum of the Earth-Moon system, the Moon's composition, and similarities in isotopic ratios between lunar and terrestrial rocks. While the Giant Impact Theory is widely accepted, it is acknowledged that no explanation is perfect due to the historical nature of the event, which occurred over 4 billion years ago.

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  • Understanding of the Giant Impact Theory
  • Familiarity with planetary formation processes
  • Knowledge of lunar geology and composition
  • Basic grasp of astronomical evidence and isotopic analysis
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  • Research the specifics of the Giant Impact Theory and its supporting evidence
  • Explore lunar geology and the implications of Moon samples on formation theories
  • Investigate the angular momentum dynamics of the Earth-Moon system
  • Study other planetary formation theories and their historical contexts
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Astronomers, planetary scientists, geology students, and anyone interested in the origins of celestial bodies and the dynamics of the Solar System.

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TL;DR
What actually made moon according to you
:smile:
 
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What do you think and why? We expect an effort on the part of people asking questions.
 
phinds said:
What do you think and why? We expect an effort on the part of people asking questions.

I think Theia The Mars sized planet which crashed into our planet Only crashed On the half Side and the other side survived and with billions it turned into a sphere And Looks like this
 
Last edited by a moderator:
@HG009, please be careful about how to use quoting. . .

[Malformed quote by HG009 fixed by a Mentor]
 
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I think Theia The Mars sized planet which crashed into our planet Only crashed On the half Side and the other side survived and with billions it turned into a sphere And Looks like this
I find that statement pretty much incoherent but I THINK you have stated the standard belief about how the moon formed.

Is there perhaps a language problem? I see that you have capitalized a lot of words. Is German your native language?
 
sysprog said:
@HG009, please be careful about how to use quoting . . .
phinds said:
I find that statement pretty much incoherent but I THINK you have stated the standard belief about how the moon formed.

Is there perhaps a language problem? I see that you have capitalized a lot of words. Is German your native language?
No , I really believe in theia But scientists say it crashed Fully into Earth like it could have even a planet between The astroid belt and Mars so when Jupiter's gravity may have deformed its orbit and could made it a elliptical orbit and So when that happened the half of the planet only crashed and remaining half has turned into sphere because of gravity..I know it is a weird and fantasy theory
 
sysprog said:
@HG009, please be careful about how to use quoting . . .
What is that
 
HG009 said:
No , I really believe in theia But scientists say it crashed Fully into Earth like it could have even a planet between The astroid belt and Mars so when Jupiter's gravity may have deformed its orbit and could made it a elliptical orbit and So when that happened the half of the planet only crashed and remaining half has turned into sphere because of gravity..I know it is a weird and fantasy theory
Again, I find your statement pretty much incoherent and I ask again, is English your native tongue?

To the extent I can understand what you are saying, I repeat ... you are stating the standard version of how the moon formed, although a rather convoluted version.

Have you READ the standard version? Do you have a question about it?
 
phinds said:
Again, I find your statement pretty much incoherent and I ask again, is English your native tongue?

To the extent I can understand what you are saying, I repeat ... you are stating the standard version of how the moon formed, although a rather convoluted version.

Have you READ the standard version? Do you have a question about it?
Yes...Im not German.. and English isn't my native language I'm using tablet for this so everyone I put Two spaces Its got caps
 
  • #10
Nobody knows exactly how the moon formed, although some variant on a collision between Earth and a Mars-sized object is the leading hypothesis. I think they all have problems explaining all of the facts, though, so it remains an open question.

Note that this is essentially a historical question. It's not "how does x happen", it's "how did x happen". Like a lot of history when there was nobody around to see and only limited circumstantial evidence in the aftermath, we may never know with complete certainty.
 
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  • #11
sysprog said:
@HG009, please be careful about how to use quoting. . .

[Malformed quote by HG009 fixed by a Mentor]
HG009 said:
What is that
I fixed your post that @sysprog was referring to -- you managed to click "Reply" twice or something, creating a mixed-up double-nested quote.
 
  • #12
berkeman said:
I fixed your post that @sysprog was referring to -- you managed to click "Reply" twice or something, creating a mixed-up double-nested quote.
Ok
 
  • #13
HG009 said:
No , I really believe in theia But scientists say it crashed Fully into Earth like it could have even a planet between The astroid belt and Mars so when Jupiter's gravity may have deformed its orbit and could made it a elliptical orbit and So when that happened the half of the planet only crashed and remaining half has turned into sphere because of gravity..I know it is a weird and fantasy theory
It also doesn't fit most of the evidence.
 
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  • #14
HG009 said:
No , I really believe in theia But scientists say it crashed Fully into Earth like it could have even a planet between The astroid belt and Mars so when Jupiter's gravity may have deformed its orbit and could made it a elliptical orbit and So when that happened the half of the planet only crashed and remaining half has turned into sphere because of gravity..I know it is a weird and fantasy theory
Not bad, You got your viewpoint on how the moon is formed, Though your point sounds fantasy theory or stuff as many say, Imagination is as important as knowledge, cause knowledge maybe limited but imagination isn't, Also how Universe was made, How Earth was formed, How is the milky way galaxy moving, How Planets in the solar system have orbits or How is the Moon formed, these all have no confirmed answer, But theories, And where do theories and hypothesis come from? Imagination, Do imagine but also believe in science as it has something called Logic.

Logic is magic.

And how the moon is formed well, I don't know as I wasn't born then just got the same theory as others to believe in.
 
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  • #15
The current leading theory is the Giant Impact Theory, which is the theory that a smaller object impacted the Earth, with the debris thrown up from the impact forming the Moon. Per wiki, this has the following supporting evidence:

  • Earth's spin and the Moon's orbit have similar orientations.[5]
  • The Earth–Moon system contains an anomalously high angular momentum. Meaning, the momentum contained in Earth's rotation, the Moon's rotation, and the Moon revolving around Earth is significantly higher than the other terrestrial planets. A giant impact might have supplied this excess momentum.
  • Moon samples indicate that the Moon was once molten down to a substantial, but unknown, depth. This might have required more energy than predicted to be available from the accretion of a body of the Moon's size. An extremely energetic process, such as a giant impact, could provide this energy.
  • The Moon has a relatively small iron core. This gives the Moon a lower density than Earth. Computer models of a giant impact of a Mars-sized body with Earth indicate the impactor's core would likely penetrate Earth and fuse with its own core. This would leave the Moon with less metallic iron than other planetary bodies.
  • The Moon is depleted in volatile elements compared to Earth. Vaporizing at comparably lower temperatures, they could be lost in a high-energy event, with the Moon's smaller gravity unable to recapture them while Earth did.
  • There is evidence in other star systems of similar collisions, resulting in debris discs.
  • Giant collisions are consistent with the leading theory of the formation of the Solar System.
  • The stable-isotope ratios of lunar and terrestrial rock are identical, implying a common origin.[6]
This theory is by no means perfect, as one would expect given that we are trying to understand something that happened over 4 billion years ago, but there is currently no better explanation.
 
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  • #16
HG009 said:
Summary:: What actually made moon according to you
And with Drak's good post, this thread is now closed.
 
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