What if the earth had two moons? PhysOrg - December 28, 2011
he idea of an Earth with two moons has been a science fiction staple for decades. More recently, real possibilities of an Earth with two moon have popped up. The properties of the MoonÕs far side has many scientists thinking that another moon used to orbit the Earth before smashing in to the Moon and becoming part of its mass. Since 2006, astronomers have been tracking smaller secondary moons that our own Earth-Moon system captures; these metre-wide moons stay for a few months then leave.
Earth has two 'moons' right now, theorists say MSNBC - December 26, 2011
Earth has two moons, a group of scientists argues. One is that waxing and waning nightlight we all know and love. The other is a tiny asteroid, no bigger than a Smart Car, making huge doughnuts around Earth for a while before it zips off into the distance.
That's the scenario posited by the scientists in a paper published Dec. 20 in the planetary science journal Icarus. The researchers say there is a space rock at least 1 meter (3.3 feet) wide orbiting Earth at any given time. They're not always the same rock, but rather an ever-changing cast of "temporary moons."
Subtly shaded map of moon reveals titanium treasure troves PhysOrg - October 7, 2011
A map of the Moon combining observations in visible and ultraviolet wavelengths shows a treasure trove of areas rich in Titanium ores. Not only is Titanium a valuable mineral, it is key to helping scientists unravel the mysteries of the MoonÕs interior.
Unique volcanic complex discovered on Moon's far side PhysOrg - July 25, 2011
Analysis of new images of a curious Ōhot spotĶ on the far side of the Moon reveal it to be a small volcanic province created by the upwelling of silicic magma. The unusual location of the province and the surprising composition of the lava that formed it offer tantalizing clues to the MoonÕs thermal history.
Parts of moon interior contains as much water as Earth's upper mantle PhysOrg - May 27, 2011
Parts of the moon's interior contains as much water as the upper mantle of the Earth - 100 times more of the precious liquid than measured before - research from Case Western Reserve University, Carnegie Institution for Science, and Brown University shows.
Moon's interior water casts doubt on formation theory BBC - May 27, 2011
An analysis of sediments brought back by the Apollo 17 mission has shown that the Moon's interior holds far more water than previously thought. The analysis, reported in Science, has looked at pockets of volcanic material locked within tiny glass beads. It found 100 times more water in the beads than has been measured before, and suggests that the Moon once held a Caribbean Sea-sized volume of water. The find also casts doubt on aspects of theories of how the Moon first formed.
Engineered collision spills new Moon secrets PhysOrg - October 22, 2010
Scientists led by Brown University are offering the first detailed explanation of the crater formed when a NASA rocket slammed into the Moon last fall and information about the composition of the lunar soil at the poles that never has been sampled.
Water Ice Detected Beneath Moon's Surface NASA - October 25, 2010
Moon's water is useful resource, says Nasa BBC - October 22, 2010
There are oases of water-rich soil that could sustain astronauts on the Moon, according to Nasa. Scientists studied the full results of an experiment that smashed a rocket and a probe into a lunar crater last year. The impacts kicked up large amounts of rock and dust, revealing a suite of fascinating chemical compounds and far more water than anyone had imagined. A Nasa-led team tells Science magazine that about 155kg of water vapor and water-ice were blown out of the crater.
Moon's Silver Hints at Lunar Water Origins National Geographic - October 22, 2010
It's not just poetic to call it a silvery moon: In addition to water, a NASA probe that crashed into a lunar crater last year churned up unexpected concentrations of silver and mercury, aka quicksilver, a new study says. The metals had been found before in moon rocks brought back by Apollo astronauts, but the elements had appeared in only trace amounts. (Also see "Water Found in Apollo Moon Rocks.")
Magnetic anomalies shield the Moon PhysOrg - September 28, 2010
Scientists have discovered a new type of solar wind interaction with airless bodies in our solar system. Magnetized regions called magnetic anomalies, mostly on the far side of the Moon, were found to strongly deflect the solar wind, shielding the MoonÕs surface. This will help understand the solar wind behaviour near the lunar surface and how water may be generated in its upper layer.
The Moon puts on camo PhysOrg - August 31, 2010
A new geologic map of the moon's Schrodinger basin paints an instant, camouflage-colored portrait of what a mash-up the moon's surface is after eons of violent events. The geologic record at Schrdinger is still relatively fresh because the basin is only about 3.8 billion years old; this makes it the moon's second-youngest large basin (it's roughly 320 kilometers, or 200 miles, in diameter).
The Moon Has Shrunk, and May Still Be Contracting National Geographic - August 20, 2010
Moon Not So Watery After All, Lunar-Rock Study Says National Geographic - August 5, 2010
Researchers discover water on the moon is widespread, similar to Earth's PhysOrg - July 21, 2010
Moon Has a Hundred Times More Water Than Thought National Geographic - June 14, 2010
'Much more water' found in lunar rocks BBC - June 14, 2010
Biggest, Deepest Crater Exposes Hidden Story of Earth's Ancient Moon Science Daily - March 9, 2010
Scientists See Fresh Evidence of More Water on the Moon New York Times - March 8, 2010
Water Found in Apollo Moon Rocks National Geographic - March 10, 2010
Ice deposits found at Moon's pole BBC - March 2, 2010
Taking a deeper look at lunar soil, with X-ray vision PhysOrg - January 4, 2010
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Moon's 'perfume' comes from the sun MSNBC - January 7, 2010
The moon's whiff of an atmosphere has been sniffed by a Japanese spacecraft under very special conditions and confirmed as coming largely from sunlight brutally hammering the lunar surface.
'Coldest place' found on the Moon BBC - December 16, 2009
Nasa confirms water on the moon YouTube
Splash! NASA moon crash struck lots of water AP - November 13, 2009
Where Is Water on Moon From--Volcanoes, Sun ... Earth? National Geographic - November 17, 2009
Water found in lunar impact likely came from comets New Scientist - November 19, 2009
Water Discovery Fuels Hope to Colonize the Moon Space.com - November 13, 2009
LCROSS Impact Analysis Indicates Water On Moon Science Daily - November 13, 2009
'Large amounts' of water on Moon BBC - November 13, 2009
"Significant" Moon Water Released by NASA Crashes National Geographic - November 13, 2009
Secrets of Google's 3-D Mars, Moon National Geographic - November 4, 2009
Found: first 'skylight' on the moon New Scientist - October 23, 2009
Controversial moon theory rewrites history MSNBC - October 22, 2009
4 billion-year-old minerals in Australia suggest origin other than impact
How The Moon Produces Its Own Water Science Daily - October 19, 2009
There's Water on the Moon, Probes Confirm National Geographic - September 24, 2009
Water Present Across The Moon's Surface, New Research Shows Science Daily - September 24, 2009
Blog: Back to the Lunar Future MSNBC - September 26, 2009 
An artist's conception from 1978 shows a processing plant for lunar soil.
Moon Myths: The Truth About Lunar Effects on You Live Science - September 25, 2009
Do sci-fi villains have the moonbase market cornered, or will we be living on the moon some day too? Discovery - September 21, 2009
New NASA temperature maps provide 'whole new way of seeing the moon' PhysOrg - September 17, 2009
Tentative Signs of Water Found on Moon Space.com - September 17, 2009
Lunar Craters May Be Chilliest Spots in Solar System New York Times - September 17, 2009
Scientists Make Oxygen Out of Moon Rock PhysOrg - August 11, 2009
Lunar Orbiter's First Pictures Released National Geographic - July 8, 2009
Return To The Moon: First Images Kick Off Mapping Mission Science Daily - July 3, 2009
Probe returns first Moon images BBC - July 2, 2009
Kaguya Spacecraft Crashes into the Moon NASA - June 29, 2009
Top 10 Amazing Moon Facts Live Science - June 15, 2009
How Moon Dust Could Yield Oxygen, Fuel and Water Space.com - January 9, 2009
Multi-Ringed Basins Thunderbolts - December 12, 2008
Lunar formations resemble those found on other planets and moons. Could they be the result of similar electrical events?
Volcanoes Rocked Far Side of the Moon National Geographic - November 6, 2008
Moon's interior 'had water' BBC - July 9, 2008
Bits of Ancient Earth Hidden on the Moon Live Science - June 26, 2008
Did Earth once have multiple moons? New Scientist - May 6, 2008
The ancient catastrophe that gave birth to the Moon may have produced additional satellites that lingered in Earth's skies for tens of millions of years. A new model suggests moonlets may have once occupied the two Earth-Moon Lagrangian points, regions in space where the gravitational tug of the Earth and the Moon exactly cancel each other out. Objects trapped in these points are called Trojans and can remain stationary forever if left undisturbed. Scientists think the Moon was created when Earth was struck by a Mars-sized object some 4.5 billion years ago. Once captured, the Trojan satellites likely remained in their orbits for up to 100 million years, Lissauer and co-author John Chambers of the Carnegie Institution of Washington say. Then, gravitational tugs from the planets would have triggered changes in the Earth's orbit, ultimately causing the moons to become unmoored and drift away or crash into the Moon or Earth.
Moon Formed Volcanoes Early, Rock Study Shows National Geographic - December 5, 2007
Meteorite dates lunar volcanoes BBC - December 6, 2007
Volcanoes were active on the Moon's surface soon after it was formed.
Moon Has Iron Core, Lunar-Rock Study Says National Geographic - January 13, 2007
Gas Eruptions Likely Formed "New" Moon Features, Study Says National Geographic - November 9, 2006
Moon's odd bulge finally explained CNN - August 3, 2006
The moon's peculiar shape can be explained if the satellite moved in an eccentric oval-shaped orbit 100 million years after its violent formation, when the satellite hadn't yet solidified, the researchers say .It was like a big ball of molasses and all around the equator it got deformed, study team member Ian Garrick-Bethell of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology told SPACE.com. Around that time, conditions, such as orbit shape and position, were optimal for this "ball of molasses" to cool down and become the solid moon that we now know. Today, the moon's orbit around the Earth is nearly circular. To predict the moon's position and orbit millions of years ago, Garrick-Bethel and colleagues extrapolated backwards from ancient records of the timing of historical solar eclipses and of changes in the distance between the Earth and moon.
Moon Is Dragging Continents West, Scientist Says National Geographic - January 25, 2006
Search For Lunar Peaks Of Eternal Light Science Daily - April 2005
New Mineral Found on the Moon MSNBC - April 2004
A new mineral formed by repeated bombardments from meteorites
and other space debris has been found in a meteorite that fell to
Earth from the moon.
BBC Story - April 2004
Lunar mountain has eternal light BBC - March 2004
A region in which the sun never sets
The Fallacy of the Full Moon Space.com - March 2004
Chandra solves mystery of moon's dark side September 2003 - Scientific American
Age-Old Moon Gardening Growing in Popularity National Geographic - July 2003
Lunar gardening is the oldest form of gardening known to man.
A view of the moon from orbit NASA - April 2003
'Double whammy' created the Moon 4.5 billion years ago BBC - February 2003
Moon's 'youngest' crater discovered - hit in 1953 BBC - December 2002
New view of Moon August 2002 - BBC
The mighty crater Langrenus, 136 km across
June 13, 2000 - BBC
New evidence shows that the Moon is not a totally dead world as was thought by many astronomers. It does still occasionally stir with activity.
Even though they have been reported from time to time for hundreds of years claims of changes on the lunar surface have always been controversial. Many scientists have dismissed the occasional reported sightings of glows and mists hanging over certain lunar features.
Clouds of light were seen dancing inside the crater
Now a French astronomer has obtained some of the most definite proof yet that occasionally something does disturb the lunar surface. It was seen in 1992 by veteran lunar observer Audouin Dollfus of the Observatoire de Paris using the one metre (39 inch) Meudon reflecting telescope. He has only just finished analyzing the results, and has submitted them for publication.
On 30 December, he noticed a series of glows on the floor of the large crater Langrenus. They were definitely not there the day before. Professor Dollfus observed them for several days before they faded. Each time he returned to the telescope he noticed that the shape of the glows had changed. He believes that the glows are due to escaping gas that lifts dust above the lunar surface into sunlight.
Some lunar observers have expressed surprise that such a mist should have been seen above Langrenus which was not regarded as a prime candidate for lunar changes. Professor Dolfuss points out that Langrenus, when observed in detail, has an extensive series of fractures on its crater floor and the gas could be escaping from these. So-called "Transient Lunar Phenonemon" (TLP) have been reported from time to time but definite evidence has been lacking.
Responding to observations from the ground, Neil Armstrong was asked to look for glows on the Moon during the Moon landing in July 1969. He reported seeing a part of the Moon glow, but later could not be sure which region it was. In 1994, the Clementine lunar orbiting satellite observed the crater Aristarchus before and after a TLP was seen from the Earth. Clementine spectral data suggested that parts of the crater had changed color slightly.
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