Apollo Missions - Earth Discover

In the distant future, the Moon will move farther away from the Earth, resulting in all solar eclipses being "annular" eclipses, like the one pictured here from May 20, 2012.

~600 Million: The Last Total Solar Eclipse – Moon’s Gradual Departure from Earth

As the Moon slowly drifts away from Earth, the phenomenon of total solar eclipses will eventually cease, with the last one expected in about 600 million years, leading to a future of only annular eclipses

The first scientist on the Moon, geologist Jack Schmitt, examining and collecting soil and rock samples during the Apollo 17 mission in December 1972. Photographed by the mission commander, Gene Cernan.

1972: Lunar Geology – Insights from Apollo Astronaut Harrison Schmitt

The Apollo Moon missions, particularly with geologist-astronaut Harrison Schmitt, showed that Earth's geological principles apply to lunar exploration, contributing significantly to our understanding of the Moon and planetary geology

This image of the Orientale Basin on the Moon, spanning 578 miles (930 km), illustrates evidence of intense planetary bombardment occurring 400 to 700 million years after Earth's formation. The color variations indicate areas of lower (blue) and higher (red) gravity within the basin.

c. 4.1 Billion BCE: Unraveling the Late Heavy Bombardment’s Mysteries

Delves into the Late Heavy Bombardment, a period when the solar system experienced intense asteroid and comet impacts. It highlights how lunar research, particularly from Apollo mission samples, offers insights into this chaotic era, suggesting [...]

c. 4.5 Billion BCE: Unraveling the Mystery – The Fascinating Origin of the Moon

Explores the intriguing theories and eventual scientific consensus on the Moon's origin, highlighting the giant impact hypothesis as the most compelling explanation supported by lunar data.