Photo: Earth-Asteroid Collision Formed Moon Later Than Thought

Email to a Friend << Back to Full Story


The moon formed from Earth fragments after a collision with a giant, Mars-size asteroid relatively late in our planet's formation, a new analysis of moon rocks has revealed.

The crash—shown above in this hypothetical rendering—occurred 30 million years later than previously believed, scientists say.

Illustration courtesy Fahad Sulehria, www.novacelestia.com

EMAIL NEWSLETTER Photos and News of the Week

Get the top photos and news of the week from National Geographic News, plus occasional breaking-news alerts.

See Sample >>
Please enter a valid email address
Privacy Policy

MOST VIEWED NEWS

PHOTO IN THE NEWS: "Conjoined" Birds Puzzle Experts

Total Solar Eclipse on August 1: Where, How to See It

Russian Mystery Blast Caused by Comet, Acid Rain Hints
NEWS FEEDS    After installing a news reader, click on this icon to download National Geographic News's XML/RSS feed. After installing a news reader, click on this icon to download National Geographic News's XML/RSS feed.

Get our news delivered directly to your desktop—free.
How to Use XML or RSS

ADVERTISEMENT

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC'S PHOTO OF THE DAY

Today's National Geographic Photo of the Day

• Today's Photo

• Download as Wallpaper

Photo and Headline Widget

Put our latest news and photos on your Web page or desktop—automatically updates! See Sample
Download Widget