Moon wonders the people since the beginning of  civilisation. It is the only satellite of earth. Saveral myths were written based on moon. Scientists and astronomers also tried to explore many mysteries related to moon. How was the moon formed and what is its age were sime of the biggest ...

Moon wonders the people since the beginning of  civilisation. It is the only satellite of earth. Saveral myths were written based on moon. Scientists and astronomers also tried to explore many mysteries related to moon. How was the moon formed and what is its age were sime of the biggest questions that scientists ask.  Saveral theories are proposed to explain the formation of moon. Now a new study by a team of planetary scientists has revealed the moon is 4.47 billion-years-old. The study shows that it was formed 95 million years after the birth of the solar system.

This makes the Earth's moon up to 60 million years younger than some previous estimates. The syudy was published on wednesday.Researchers used a new way to calculate the birthday of the planet's only natural satellite. Astronomer John Chambers, with the Carnegie Institution for Science in Washington DC, said the mega-asteroid that smashed into Earth, launching debris that later became the moon, occurred about 95 million years after the birth of the solar system. The thing that hit Earth and ended up forming the moon. A small fraction of its mass and some material from Earth was pushed off into space to form the moon. That was probably the last big event.

The study is based on 259 computer simulations of how the solar system evolved.The programs simulate the crashes and mergers of the small bodies until they meld into the rocky planets that exist today. Earth's last big chuck came from a Mars-sized body that hit about 95 million years after the solar system's formation when measured by that geologic clock, the study showed. At 99.9 per cent accurate, the study disputes some previous estimates that the moon-forming impact occurred as early as 30 million to 40 million years after the solar system's formation.

But still there are several unknown answers. Why was the mars formed before other planets etc. Astronomers are hoping to find the answer s soon.



Source : http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/how-old-is-the-moon-true-age-is-finally-revealed-9236150.html

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saul, "A new study makes moon younger", MachPrinciple, April 06, 2014, https://machprinciple.com/post/a-new-study-makes-moon-younger