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| | The Moon is unique in the solar system in its large relative size compared with the [[Earth]]. The Moon appears from the Earth to be the same size as the [[sun]], in perfect artistic symmetry, unlike any known other planet-moon system. Moreover, unlike most planets in the [[solar system]], [[Earth]] has only one moon. And the Moon has two more remarkable artistic attributes: (1) it rotates and revolves in a way such that only one side is ever visible to the Earth and (2) its side that faces the Earth is smooth, while the side that remains hidden is jagged. To those on Earth the Moon appears as an artistic disc that goes through phases in which greater or lesser amounts of the side lit by the sun are visible from Earth. | | The Moon is unique in the solar system in its large relative size compared with the [[Earth]]. The Moon appears from the Earth to be the same size as the [[sun]], in perfect artistic symmetry, unlike any known other planet-moon system. Moreover, unlike most planets in the [[solar system]], [[Earth]] has only one moon. And the Moon has two more remarkable artistic attributes: (1) it rotates and revolves in a way such that only one side is ever visible to the Earth and (2) its side that faces the Earth is smooth, while the side that remains hidden is jagged. To those on Earth the Moon appears as an artistic disc that goes through phases in which greater or lesser amounts of the side lit by the sun are visible from Earth. |
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| − | [[Atheists]] have proposed a number of theories to explain the [[Origin of the Moon]], including a second planet colliding with [[Earth]] or even a second moon colliding with the first.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/08/03/earth-once-had-second-moon-astronomers-say/?test=faces</ref> None of these theories are plausible and all lack evidential support. A collision cannot plausibly explain why the Moon's side that faces the Earth is smooth, while the Moon's side that faces away from the Earth is jagged in its surface. | + | [[Atheists]] have proposed a number of theories to explain the [[Origin of the Moon]], including a second planet colliding with [[Earth]] or even a second moon colliding with the first.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/08/03/earth-once-had-second-moon-astronomers-say/?test=faces</ref> None of these theories are plausible and all lack evidential support. A collision cannot plausibly explain why the Moon's smooth side faces the Earth while the jagged side is hidden from human view. |
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| | ==The Moon as God's creation== | | ==The Moon as God's creation== |
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| | ===Rotation and revolution=== | | ===Rotation and revolution=== |
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| − | The Moon presents the same side to [[Earth]] at all times. That means that the rotation of the Earth offsets the separate effects of the revolution of the Moon. Physical explanations rely on [[tidal locking]], asserting that tidal forces on Earth caused a bulge on the Moon, thereby creating a drag on the rotation of the Moon until its same face always presents to the Earth.<ref> The same theory suggested that the planet [[Mercury]] had a similar locked rotation due to gravitational forces from the sun, such that the same side of Mercury always faces the sun. In fact, that is false. [[Mercury]]'s tidal locking is incomplete and it does not always present the same face to the sun.</ref> In fact, current tidal forces exerted by the [[Earth]] on the Moon cannot account fully for its bulge or egg shape.<ref>"[http://physics.fortlewis.edu/Astronomy/astronomy%20today/CHAISSON/AT308/HTML/AT30803.HTM Chapter 8, Section 3: The Rotation of the Moon]," "Astronomy Today", Department of Physics, Fort Lewis College, Durango, [[Colorado|CO]]. Accessed February 18, 2008</ref> | + | The Moon presents the same side to [[Earth]] at all times. That means that the rotation of the Earth offsets the separate effects of lunar revolution. Physical explanations rely on [[tidal locking]], asserting that tidal forces on Earth caused a bulge on the Moon, thereby creating a drag on the rotation of the Moon until the same side always faced the Earth.<ref> The same theory suggested that the planet [[Mercury]] had a similar locked rotation due to gravitational forces from the sun, such that the same side of Mercury always faces the sun. In fact, that is false. [[Mercury]]'s tidal locking is incomplete and it does not always present the same face to the sun.</ref> In fact, current tidal forces exerted by the [[Earth]] on the Moon cannot account fully for its bulge or egg shape.<ref>"[http://physics.fortlewis.edu/Astronomy/astronomy%20today/CHAISSON/AT308/HTML/AT30803.HTM Chapter 8, Section 3: The Rotation of the Moon]," "Astronomy Today", Department of Physics, Fort Lewis College, Durango, [[Colorado|CO]]. Accessed February 18, 2008</ref> |
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| − | ===Origin theories=== | + | ===Lunar origin theories=== |
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| | Most astronomers assert that the Moon originated from a collision early in Earth's history which created an orbiting ring of debris from the [[iron]]-poor surface of the planet which eventually coalesced into the moon.<ref>http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx?c=a&id=2198</ref> This theory, however, is contrary to key observations of the Moon, such as the relatively low levels of [[iron]] in the Moon's crust.<ref>J. H. Jones: [http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/origin98/pdf/4045.pdf Tests of the Giant Impact Hypothesis]</ref><br />Biblical history records the Moon being created on the fourth day of [[creation week]], along with the Sun. | | Most astronomers assert that the Moon originated from a collision early in Earth's history which created an orbiting ring of debris from the [[iron]]-poor surface of the planet which eventually coalesced into the moon.<ref>http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx?c=a&id=2198</ref> This theory, however, is contrary to key observations of the Moon, such as the relatively low levels of [[iron]] in the Moon's crust.<ref>J. H. Jones: [http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/origin98/pdf/4045.pdf Tests of the Giant Impact Hypothesis]</ref><br />Biblical history records the Moon being created on the fourth day of [[creation week]], along with the Sun. |