2007-01-14 14:57:25 · 10 answers · asked by dewgongoo 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
It did before, a long time ago. Actually it is believed the moon is a piece of earth which flew into space when a gigantic asteroid hit the earth. Light and particles emitted by the sun swept most of the light gases away over time.
I just found websites that says the moon DOES have an atnosphere albeit a very tenuous one:
http://www.iac.es/galeria/mrk/atmo_lun.html
http://www.agu.org/sci_soc/prrl/prrl9826.html
2007-01-14 15:13:56 · answer #1 · answered by catarthur 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Gasses are heavy. And the moon does not have enough gravity to hold these gasses or atmosphere in. Therefore there is no atmosphere on the moon. The atmosphere needs to maintain a low temperature to stay around an object.
2007-01-14 23:17:11 · answer #2 · answered by A.R 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The pull of gravity at the surface of the Moon is only 1/6 as strong as gravity's pull at the Earth's surface. This force is too weak to permanently retain a blanket of gas around the Moon. There is, however, a very light temporary atmosphere of sodium, and potassium, which is constantly refurnished by the solar wind.
2007-01-15 07:57:34 · answer #3 · answered by Sporadic 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The moon in order to be a good mirror a special design has to be understood.The design behind it is that it must be moving at a proper angle to the ecliptic and cannot have an atmosperic curtain. The atmosphere would diffuse and refract the light. So a farmer working with the moolight would need all the reflected light he can get.
2007-01-14 23:39:47 · answer #4 · answered by goring 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's not because of gravity you fools. The moon doesn't have an atmosphere because we haven't put one there yet. I'm sure if you went there and emptied a bunch of oxygen tanks we would be able to live there just like we do on earth. I see it happening no later than 10 years from now.
2007-01-14 23:14:07 · answer #5 · answered by abomb5023 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Actually, it does.
As ppl have mentioned, the gravity is so weak that it is very thin and not useable for us to breathe. Since Earth's atmospheric pressure is (at sea level) 15 pounds/square inch, at 1/6th the gravity of earth the moon's pressure would be about 2 pounds per square inch.
2007-01-14 23:34:28 · answer #6 · answered by Daremo 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The gravity of the moon is not strong enough to keep the gasses from escaping. Plus, it never had any gasses to hold onto to begin with.
2007-01-14 23:05:06 · answer #7 · answered by j 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Either it doesn't have enough gravity to keep one from drifting away, or it never had the gasses to make one in the first place.
2007-01-14 23:02:47 · answer #8 · answered by skepsis 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I guess it's gravity isn't strong enough
2007-01-14 23:01:21 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not enough gravity.
2007-01-14 23:06:54 · answer #10 · answered by Alex 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋