When did earth's moon form?

Answer 1

We don't know the exact date, but the Moon formed when a giant object collided with Earth between 4 - 4.5 billion years ago, not long after the planet formed. The resulting debris went into orbit around Earth and coalesced by gravity to form the Moon.

Answer 2

The composition of lunar materials is very similar to the rocks in Earth's crust, suggesting that the Moon is formed from the same material as the Earth. If current theories are correct, a collision formed the Moon from part of the Earth's mantle and crust. The Moon does not have an iron core (or magnetic field) as the Earth does.

Answer 3

There are a few different theories that have been proposed at various points throughout history. One says that the moon formed elsewhere and was captured by Earth's gravity. Another says the Earth was molten at one point, and the centrifugal force of the rapidly spinning Earth caused a blob of magma to separate and eventually harden to form the moon. Yet another says that the Moon and Earth formed at the same time in proximity with each other, from the protoplanetary disk.

However, the prevailing theory that holds the most evidence is the Giant Impact Hypothesis. It states that at one point shortly after our planet formed (4.5 billion years ago) a protoplanet about the size of Mars, called Theia, collided with Earth. The impact was enormous, tilting Earth at an angle, melting its crust, and releasing a large amount of debris into space. The debris rose into orbit around our planet until eventually, gravity pulled the pieces together to form the Moon.

Indirect evidence for the Giant Impact model comes from rocks collected by the Apollo moon missions. This theory best explains the lack of water (the vapor cloud was too hot for water to condense), the similarity in composition (since the Moon had formed from part of the Earth), the lower density (since the Moon had formed from the Earth's crust and mantle, rather than its core), and the Moon's unusual orbit (since an oblique strike would have imparted a massive amount of angular momentum to the Earth/Moon system.

This lunar origin hypothesis has some difficulties which have yet to be resolved. These difficulties include:

• The ratios of the Moon's volatile elements are not explained by the giant impact hypothesis. If the giant impact hypothesis is correct, they must be due to some other cause.
• There is no evidence that the Earth ever had a magma ocean (an implied result of the giant impact hypothesis), and it is likely there exists material which has never been processed by a magma ocean.
• The iron oxide (FeO) content (13%) of the Moon, which is intermediate between Mars (18%) and the terrestrial mantle (8%), rules out most of the source of the proto-lunar material from the Earth's mantle.
• If the bulk of the proto-lunar material had come from the impactor, the Moon should be enriched in siderophilic elements, when it is actually deficient in those.
• The presence of volatiles such as water trapped in lunar basalts is more difficult to explain if the impact caused a catastrophic heating event.
• The Moon's oxygen isotopic ratios are essentially identical to those of Earth. Oxygen isotopic ratios, which can be measured very precisely, yield a unique and distinct signature for each solar system body. If Theia had been a separate proto-planet, it would probably have had a different oxygen isotopic signature than Earth, as would the ejected mixed material.

However, as of now, this is the best theory there is in explaining the origin of our moon. Other theories that have been presented have much less evidence.

Answer 4

We do not know exactly how the moon was created. The scientists and sceptics say one thing while the scriptues tell us that God placed the moon in it position to give light to the earth at night. Let it suffice that the moon place its part in the heavens.

Answer 5

An early theory is that the moon was formed from the same band of hot gases around the sun as was the earth, some 4.5 billion years ago. Another possibility is that it was splintered off the earth by impact from a large asteroid. It is undoubtedly very ancient.

Answer 6

The Earth's moon is believed to have formed around 4.5 billion years ago, shortly after the formation of the Earth. The leading theory is that a Mars-sized body called Theia collided with the early Earth, resulting in debris that eventually condensed to form the moon.

Answer 7

God said "Let there be a moon sun and stars. And then the moon was created. It is just that simple

Answer 8

answ2. Early in the life of the Earth, a Mars sized body named Theia grazed into the Earth, and the debris from this collision formed the Moon.