Did The Earth Once Have Two Moons? (stars, theory, saturn)
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This theory is new to me......very interesting and explains why the Moon's hemispheres are so geologically different. It does not change the initial theory that our Moon formed from a collision(of Earth) with a Mars size body; just that two moons were created from that impact and one formed afterward from the two moon's subsequent accretion/collision.
Forming the lunar farside highlands by accretion of a companion moon : Nature : Nature Publishing Group (http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v476/n7358/full/nature10289.html - broken link)
Last edited by PITTSTON2SARASOTA; 08-04-2011 at 10:18 PM..
This theory is new to me......very interesting and explains why the Moon's hemispheres are so geologically different. It does not change the initial theory that our Moon formed from a collision(of Earth) with a Mars size body; just that two moons were created from that impact and one formed afterward from the two moon's subsequent accretion/collision.
Forming the lunar farside highlands by accretion of a companion moon : Nature : Nature Publishing Group (http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v476/n7358/full/nature10289.html - broken link)
PITTS, if there were two moons at one time and one was obliverated wouldn't we then have a saturn type ring around the earth with the remnants of that former moon?
This theory is new to me......very interesting and explains why the Moon's hemispheres are so geologically different. It does not change the initial theory that our Moon formed from a collision(of Earth) with a Mars size body; just that two moons were created from that impact and one formed afterward from the two moon's subsequent accretion/collision.
Forming the lunar farside highlands by accretion of a companion moon : Nature : Nature Publishing Group (http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v476/n7358/full/nature10289.html - broken link)
Hmmmm. I've always thought the two hemispheres were different because the same side always faces Earth and that meant the other side got the most hits from space debris.
Hmmmm. I've always thought the two hemispheres were different because the same side always faces Earth and that meant the other side got the most hits from space debris.
I thought that also......but apparently it's not just the debris fields and meteor impacts but also other geologic features and geochemical composition. I'm sure the "theory" is still being disputed and more evidence would be required.....before we'll see this concept in the science books.
PITTS, if there were two moons at one time and one was obliverated wouldn't we then have a saturn type ring around the earth with the remnants of that former moon?
I'm pretty sure that rings are a "temporary" feature of many collisions....at least on an astronomical timescales.....and the collision creating our Moon was about 4.5 Billion years ago.
I'm pretty sure that rings are a "temporary" feature of many collisions....at least on an astronomical timescales.....and the collision creating our Moon was about 4.5 Billion years ago.
I'm pondering if it's been pulverized into dust over the billions of years that constantly enters our atmosphere and we see it burning up as ''falling stars'' through out the night?
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