5 days ago · Earth’s Moon is thought to have formed in a tremendous collision. A massive object ― named Theia after the mythological Greek Titan who was the mother of Selene, goddess of the …

In general terms, the main idea of the model suggests that the Moon was formed as a result of a violent rain of large asteroids (1–100 km) that repeatedly hammered the fledgling Earth over millions of years.

The giant-impact theory is most widely accepted today. This proposes that the Moon formed during a collision between Earth and another small planet, about the size of Mars. The debris from this impact …

Jan 7, 2024 · The most commonly accepted theory of how the Moon formed is the collision theory, suggesting a small, Mars-sized planet (named Thea) collided with the early Earth, sending material …

2 days ago · Throughout the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, investigators examined different theories on lunar origin in an attempt to find one that would agree with the observations. Lunar origin theories …

Most scientists believe the moon was formed as a result of a giant impact between Earth and a planetary body 4.5 billion years ago.

Nov 10, 2025 · Before the space age, theories about the Moon’s formation were based largely on telescopic observations and speculation. Three primary hypotheses dominated scientific thought in …

Aug 12, 2025 · Explore the fascinating theories about the origin of the Moon, from the giant impact hypothesis to planetary differentiation processes.

Nov 25, 2023 · For centuries, astronomers armed with telescopes mapped the Moon, carefully placing craters and other features. But the question of lunar origin still stood right where it always had. …

Over time, the remains of the explosion (vapor, dust, and molten rock) orbiting the Earth clumped together (accreted) to form our Moon. The Moon's characteristics are best explained by the current …