What is the Moon?
The Moon is a big, round rock that travels around Earth in space. It’s our planet’s only natural satellite. This means it stays close and moves around us in a path called an orbit.
It takes about 27 days for the Moon to go all the way around the Earth. The Moon rotates at the same speed it orbits around Earth. This is why only one side of the Moon can be seen from Earth.
Watch: Dr Big Brain, the Moon and Louise
Dr Big Brain wants to relocate his evil lair to the Moon - but the Moon isn’t quite as evil as he’d hoped.
LEO: Hello! Here's your evil hot chocolate and biccies Dr Big Brain.
DR BIG BRAIN: Oh. Thank you Leo. You're gonna go very far in this organisation.
Wow! Too hot Leo.
LEO: I'm so sorry Dr Big Brain.
DR BIG BRAIN: It's okay, but take a walk with me Leo. Don't worry. I'm not cross. I just want to show you my new telescope.
LEO: Oh, it looks exactly like your evil human smoothie maker! Ahh!
DR BIG BRAIN: So sad. I don't think I'll ever get over his death. And yet I have.
Now, Janet. Do you have the possible laircations for my new evil lair? See what I did there?
JANET: Yes, Doctor BB. Uh, although I don't know why you'd want to have a lair on the Moon.
DR BIG BRAIN: Because it's like a giant evil ball. But also, the different parts of the Moon have been given such excitingly evil names. I have great hopes for the Lake of Death.
I'm imagining moon sharks, space squid and massive man eating crabs. Look, Terry. That's you.
TERRY: Oh, yeah.
DR BIG BRAIN: You're being killed.
TERRY: Thanks, but… sorry, boss. This is the Lake of Death.
DR BIG BRAIN: Huh? That's just a normal bit of moon. It doesn't even have a lake. This won't do at all, Terry.
JANET: Yes, the Moon really is just moon rocks and craters.
DR BIG BRAIN: Rocks? This is very disappointing, Janet. Why has such a boring bit of moon been given such a cool name?
JANET: Well, it was named over 350 years ago, and the telescopes weren't very good back then. They thought they were seeing a lake.
DR BIG BRAIN: Wait, what about the dark side of the Moon? Oh, that sounds perfect. The whole area that faces away from the earth in perpetual darkness. I did a drawing, but my black pen ran out before I finished.
JANET: Yeah, it actually isn't always dark. Anyway, it's called the Far Side of the Moon. Can I borrow a biccy?
DR BIG BRAIN: You may borrow one biccy.
JANET: The far side faces away from the earth, but it still sometimes faces towards the Sun, so it's not really dark.
DR BIG BRAIN: That is absolutely fascinating. But where are we going to build the evil lair?
TERRY: We've chosen here, Dr Big Brain.
DR BIG BRAIN: Oh. Nice crater. Perfect for diabolical plots and evil schemes. Tell me, Terry. What is this pit of evil called?
TERRY: Louise.
DR BIG BRAIN: Louise? I wanted the Lake of Death. You've given me Louise.
TERRY: Yep.
DR BIG BRAIN: Take a walk with me you two. Don't worry. I'm not cross. I just want to show you my new teddy bearnator.
BOTH: Oh. Okay. Ahh!
DR BIG BRAIN: Look, Dr Big Teddy, your very own hench teddies. How adorable. Mm. Oh, no, I drank Leo. I thought he'd taste better.
Why does the Moon sometimes look different in the sky?
The Moon sometimes looks different in the sky because of the way sunlight shines on it as it moves around Earth. The Moon doesn’t make its own light. It just reflects the Sun’s light.
As the Moon goes around Earth, we see different parts of its bright side. This creates the Moon’s phases. Sometimes we see the whole Moon when Earth is between the Sun and the Moon. This is called a Full Moon. When the Moon is between Earth and the Sun, we can’t see it at all. This is called a New Moon. In between, we see shapes like half-moons and crescents.
The Moon doesn’t change shape, it just looks different depending on where it is in its orbit and how the sunlight hits it!
Horrible Science fact
Did you know that when astronauts first walked on the Moon in 1969, their footprints are still there today? That’s because the Moon doesn’t have any wind or rain to wash them away. Isn’t that amazing? Every step the astronauts took is like a little piece of history that will be there for a very, very long time!
Find out more about the Moon.
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