The Moon is the closest astronomical object to Earth. Galileo observed craters and mountains on the Moon, showing that its surface was not smooth as previously thought. NASA spacecraft scheduled to launch in 2009 will map the Moon in amazing detail and search for evidence of ancient ice to help prepare for future human exploration.
“Star Witness News” stories are written for grades 5–8 and are based on Hubble press releases. “Hubble: A Lunar Prospecting Machine” explains how the Hubble Space Telescope was used to find natural resources on the Moon.
“Myths vs. realities” is a collection of common misconceptions about celestial objects and phenomena. The misconception is stated in the “myth” while the “reality” explains the true situation. “Myths vs. realities: Solar system” addresses common misconceptions about the solar system.
“Fast Facts” is a collection of tables that provide vital statistics for the planets and other celestial objects. This table lists key facts about the Moon in an easy-to-read format.
“Q&As” is a collection of questions that might be asked about various celestial objects and phenomena. “Q&A: Our solar system” provides answers to questions typically asked about the solar system.
