Science
What is the Moon?
The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite — a large rocky world that orbits our planet. It has no light of its own; it shines by reflecting sunlight, and its gravity is the main cause of the ocean tides.
See it, don’t just read it.
Watch a 2-minute lesson with voice + animation that explains the moon.
Key things to understand
- 1The Moon is a natural satellite — a rocky body that orbits Earth, about 384,000 km away.
- 2It doesn't produce light; we see it because it reflects sunlight.
- 3Its changing shape in the sky (the phases) comes from how much of its sunlit side faces us as it orbits.
- 4The Moon's gravity pulls on Earth's oceans, creating the tides.
- 5It's about a quarter of Earth's diameter and has no breathable atmosphere.
Frequently asked questions
- Why does the Moon change shape?
- Those are the phases. As the Moon orbits Earth, we see different amounts of its sunlit half — from a thin crescent to a full Moon and back.
- Does the Moon make its own light?
- No. The Moon has no light of its own — it reflects sunlight, which is why it shines in our night sky.
- How does the Moon cause tides?
- Its gravity pulls on Earth's oceans, bulging the water toward and away from it. As Earth rotates, places pass through these bulges, giving high and low tides.