My Viewfinder

a glimpse at the way i see it

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lookhigh: Goodnight Moons? The early Earth had two moons instead of just one — our familiar moon, as well as a smaller companion moon that also rose and set in the sky for tens of millions of years. That’s according to a new theory that says this smaller moon eventually went careening into our moon and is still there, in the form of mountains on its far side.  Researchers believe that our moon was created when a giant object the size of Mars hit the early Earth, sending out a disc of debris orbiting our planet. That debris coalesced to form the moon, says Asphaug, but companion moons could have formed at the same time. (NPR) Image: An artist’s illustration shows a collision between the moon and a companion moon. Scientists say the collision could be responsible for the moon’s asymmetric shape. (Martin Jutzi and Erik Asphaug/Nature)

lookhigh:

Goodnight Moons?

The early Earth had two moons instead of just one — our familiar moon, as well as a smaller companion moon that also rose and set in the sky for tens of millions of years.

That’s according to a new theory that says this smaller moon eventually went careening into our moon and is still there, in the form of mountains on its far side.

 Researchers believe that our moon was created when a giant object the size of Mars hit the early Earth, sending out a disc of debris orbiting our planet. That debris coalesced to form the moon, says Asphaug, but companion moons could have formed at the same time. (NPR)

Image: An artist’s illustration shows a collision between the moon and a companion moon. Scientists say the collision could be responsible for the moon’s asymmetric shape. (Martin Jutzi and Erik Asphaug/Nature)

(via npr)