The Greek word for the Moon does however provide us with the prefix seleno-, as in selenography, the study of the physical features of the Moon, as well as the element name selenium. The adjective selenian / s ə l iː n i ə n/, derived from the Greek word for the Moon, σελήνη selēnē, and used to describe the Moon as a world rather than as an object in the sky, is rare, while its cognate selenic was originally a rare synonym but now nearly always refers to the chemical element selenium. The usual English adjective pertaining to the Moon is "lunar", derived from the Latin word for the Moon, lūna. Cynthia / ˈ s ɪ n θ i ə/ is another poetic name, though rare, for the Moon personified as a goddess, while Selene / s ə ˈ l iː n iː/ (literally "Moon") is the Greek goddess of the Moon. Occasionally, the name Luna / ˈ l uː n ə/ is used in scientific writing and especially in science fiction to distinguish the Earth's moon from others, while in poetry "Luna" has been used to denote personification of the Moon. The noun moon is derived from Old English mōna, which (like all its Germanic cognates) stems from Proto-Germanic *mēnōn, which in turn comes from Proto-Indo-European *mēnsis "month" (from earlier *mēnōt, genitive *mēneses) which may be related to the verb "measure" (of time). The usual English proper name for Earth's natural satellite is simply Moon, with a capital M.
Such influences can be found in language, calendar systems, art, and mythology. The Moon's apparent size is nearly the same as that of the Sun, allowing it to cover the Sun almost completely during a total solar eclipse.īoth the Moon's prominence in the earthly sky and its regular cycle of phases have provided cultural references and influences for human societies throughout history. However, because it has a large angular diameter, the full moon is the brightest celestial object in the night sky. The lunar surface is relatively non-reflective, with a reflectance just slightly brighter than that of worn asphalt. Most of the large impact basins and mare surfaces were in place by the end of the Imbrian period, some three billion years ago. The near side of the Moon is marked by dark volcanic maria ("seas"), which fill the spaces between bright ancient crustal highlands and prominent impact craters. It then receded to a wider orbit because of tidal interaction with the Earth. The most widely accepted origin explanation posits that the Moon formed about 4.51 billion years ago, not long after Earth, out of the debris from a giant impact between the planet and a hypothesized Mars-sized body called Theia. That said, 59% of the total lunar surface can be seen from Earth through shifts in perspective due to libration. The Moon is tidally locked to Earth, which means that the length of a full rotation of the Moon on its own axis causes its same side ( the near side) to always face Earth, and the somewhat longer lunar day is the same as the synodic period. During each synodic period of 29.5 days, the amount of visible surface illuminated by the Sun varies from none up to 100%, resulting in lunar phases that form the basis for the months of a lunar calendar. The Moon's orbit around Earth has a sidereal period of 27.3 days.
REVIEW OF THE MOVIE THE FIFTH ELEMENT FULL MOVIE DRIVER
Orbiting Earth at an average distance of 384,400 km (238,900 mi), or about 30 times Earth's diameter, its gravitational influence very slowly lengthens Earth's day and is the main driver of Earth's tides. Its surface gravity is about one-sixth of Earth's ( 0.1654 g) Jupiter's moon Io is the only satellite in the Solar System known to have a higher surface gravity and density. It lacks any significant atmosphere, hydrosphere, or magnetic field. The Moon is a planetary-mass object that formed a differentiated rocky body, making it a satellite planet under the geophysical definitions of the term. At about one-quarter the diameter of Earth (comparable to the width of Australia), it is the largest natural satellite in the Solar System relative to the size of a major planet, the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System overall, and larger than any known dwarf planet. The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite.
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