Indeed, the moon is gradually distancing itself from Earth. It is currently shifting away from our planet at a rate of approximately 3.8 centimetres per annum. This trend is projected to persist for approximately 50 billion years.
In contrast to Earth, the moon lacks an atmosphere. Consequently, it remains vulnerable to cosmic rays, meteorite impacts, and the effects of solar winds, resulting in significant temperature fluctuations. The absence of atmosphere means that no sound can propagate there, and the sky perpetually presents itself as a deep black expanse.
During the 1950s, the United States contemplated the idea of detonating a nuclear bomb on the moon. This covert project, conducted at the height of the Cold War, was named ‘A Study of Lunar Research Flights’ or ‘Project A119’. It was conceived as a display of strength during a period when the United States was striving to catch up in the space race.
Similar to Earth, the moon experiences its own seismic activity, primarily induced by the gravitational influence of our planet. Astronauts who ventured to the lunar surface used seismographs and observed that minor moonquakes transpired at depths several kilometres beneath the moon’s surface, resulting in fractures and fissures. Scientists theorise that the moon, akin to Earth, possesses a molten core.
During the Apollo 17 mission, astronaut Harrison ‘Jack’ Schmitt described the moon’s odour as reminiscent of gunpowder. This lunar dust even triggered what some astronauts referred to as ‘lunar hay fever’, resulting in sneezing and congestion that persisted for several days.