Why Does The Moon Have Craters
Since the very first humans walked the earth the moon has been an object of fascination. This is probably due to the fact that it appears to be the largest object in the night sky and it changes position and shape each day. Many ancient cultures of Earth revered the moon and believed it to be a very special object in the sky. Some cultures used it for measuring the passage of time and many early calendars were based on the phases of the moon. This fascination with the moon was one of the reasons that it was the target of the space race. One question about that moon constantly comes up – why does it have craters?
Why Does The Moon Have Craters
If you have ever looked at the moon through a telescope or at a close up picture in a book, you will have noticed lots of craters on the surface of the moon. These are referred to as impact craters or lunar craters and the moon is estimated to have over 300,000 craters, wider than 1km, on the side we can see from earth. Some of these craters are named after famous people from history. The craters on the moon are caused by meteorites, and the bigger craters by comets or asteroids colliding with the surface of the moon. The reason the moon has so many impacts is because it doesn’t have an atmosphere to burn up meteors like Earth does. This, combined with the fact that there is no weather, also means that the craters stay very well preserved.
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