Moon costume illustration

Original Pen and ink and Watercolour illustration by Rosie Brooks

The moon is the Earth's only natural satellite and is the fifth largest moon in the solar system. It is about one-quarter the size of the Earth and is thought to have formed around 4.5 billion years ago, not long after the formation of the solar system.

The moon has a rocky surface that is covered in craters, mountains, and valleys. It has no atmosphere, no water, and no signs of life. The moon's surface is also covered in a layer of fine, powdery dust called regolith, which was formed from the impact of meteoroids and asteroids over millions of years.

The moon has a number of interesting features, including its phases, which are caused by the changing position of the moon relative to the Earth and the sun. The moon also has a gravitational effect on the Earth, which causes the tides in the oceans and influences the behavior of some animals.

The moon has been the subject of human exploration since the 1960s, with the first manned mission to the moon taking place in 1969 as part of the Apollo program. Since then, a total of 24 astronauts have visited the moon, with the last mission taking place in 1972. There are plans for further manned missions to the moon in the future, including the Artemis program by NASA, which aims to land the first woman and the next man on the moon by 2024.