The Moon lacks a thick atmosphere primarily due to its low mass, which prevents it from retaining gases effectively. The gases that could form an atmosphere move at speeds close to the Moon's escape velocity, leading to their loss into space. Although the Moon does possess a very thin atmosphere, it is not substantial enough to support conditions similar to Earth. This situation is comparable to Mars, which, despite being larger than the Moon, also has a thin atmosphere due to its smaller size relative to Earth. Overall, the Moon's inability to maintain a thick atmosphere is a result of its gravitational limitations.