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The term waxing is used for an intermediate phase when the Moon's apparent shape is thickening, from new to a full moon; and waning when the shape is thinning. The duration from full moon to new moon (or new moon to full moon) varies from approximately 13 days 22 + 1 ⁄ 2 hours to about 15 days 14 + 1 ⁄ 2 hours.
The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite.It orbits at an average distance of 384,400 km (238,900 mi), about 30 times the diameter of Earth. Tidal forces between Earth and the Moon have synchronized the Moon's orbital period (lunar month) with its rotation period at 29.5 Earth days, causing the same side of the Moon to always face Earth.
Besides the original type formed by lines, there is the possibility of using certain Braille embossers to produce dot patterns (Dotty Moon or Dotted Moon) in the shape of Moon characters. [5] The patterns are disposed as a 5x5 grid.
In addition to impacts, the geomorphology of the lunar surface has been shaped by volcanism, [4] [5] which is now thought to have ended less than 50 million years ago. [6] The Moon is a differentiated body, with a crust, mantle, and core. [7] Smithsonian Institution Senior Scientist Tom Watters talks about the Moon's recent geological activity.
Ben Bussey and Paul Spudis, The Clementine Atlas of the Moon, Cambridge University Press, 2004, ISBN 0-521-81528-2. Antonín Rükl, Atlas of the Moon, Kalmbach Books, 1990, ISBN 0-913135-17-8. Ewen A. Whitaker, Mapping and Naming the Moon, Cambridge University Press, 1999, ISBN 0-521-62248-4.
Schematic illustration of the internal structure of the Moon. Several lines of evidence imply that the lunar core is small, with a radius of about 350 km or less. [5] The diameter of the lunar core is only about 20% the diameter of the Moon itself, in contrast to about 50% as is the case for most other terrestrial bodies.
The Moon's elongation is its angular distance east of the Sun at any time. At new moon, it is zero and the Moon is said to be in conjunction. At full moon, the elongation is 180° and it is said to be in opposition. In both cases, the Moon is in syzygy, that is, the Sun, Moon and Earth are nearly aligned.
The moon is the namesake of Europa, ... causing Europa to relax back into a more spherical shape, and creating tides in its ocean. ... the stress patterns should form ...