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uk - Primary Resources
Name: Subject: Themes
Date: Sheet: Solar system
07-02-01-021-s
The moon orbits, or circles the Earth, and always shows the same side pointing towards
us. It is the second brightest object in the sky, but it does not produce light of its own.
The moon refects the light from the sun and it bounces back to Earth.
The temperature of the moons surface can vary greatly as there is no atmosphere to
keep the temperature constant. During the day temperatures can reach a scorching
120C and at night can drop to an icy -230 C.
The surface of the moon is covered with large mountains, valleys, and deep craters.
These craters were formed by meteorite impacts and volcanic activity. No animals or
plants could survive on the moon.
A lunar month (the time between full moons) is 29 days, 12 hours and 43 minutes. It
takes 27 days, 7 hours and 43 minutes for the moon to orbit the Earth. The moon rises in
the east and sets in the west.
The gravitational force of the moon causes many of the tides in the Earths oceans.
Luna 2 was the frst spacecraft to visit the moon in 1959. The frst landing on the moon
was made by an American astronaut called Neil Armstrong.
The moon is about 4.5 billion years old.

The Moon
Name: Subject: Themes
Date: Sheet: Solar system
07-02-01-021-s
Score
Answer the following questions:
1. Does the moon produce light of its own?
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2. Why does the temperature on the moon vary greatly?
__________________________________________________________
3. How low does the temperature drop at night on the moon?

__________________________________________________________
4. The moon rises in the....
a North c East
b South d West
5. How long is a lunar month?
__________________________________________________________
6. How long does it take the moon to orbit the Earth?
__________________________________________________________
7. What was the name of the frst spacecraft to visit the moon?
__________________________________________________________
8. Who was the frst astronaut to land on the moon?
__________________________________________________________
8
The Moon
Primary Leap Ltd. 2014 www.primaryleap.co.uk - Primary Resources