2007-07-20 06:28:33 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
plz star if you think this is a good question....
2007-07-20 07:03:50 · update #1
that depends on who you ask :-) some believe that the moon was a planetoid caught in earths gravity meaning it could be older than earth. however; the other theory is that a mars size planet collided with earth which was destroyed and then reformed with a small part of it forming the moon. if thats the case, then the moon is roughly as old as the earth, 4.6 billion years old. Not 6,000 years old as the church likes to tell people (this is true, at one point the church said the earth was roughly 6,000 years old and that fossils were put here by god for our amusement).
2007-07-20 06:35:09 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Between 3.5 and 4.5 Billion years. Most Scientific speculation surrounds a major body impact, on earth, during early solar system formation. The assumption being that the ejecta from the earth impact was hurled far enough into space it began to orbit the earth. As time progressed the gravity associated with the debris drew the material to a central location and the gravitational tidal lock of the debris orbit reformed the debris into a relatively compact sphere. Spheres are a fundamentally efficient shape and a natural response to gravitation and astronomical orbits. This is why most celestial bodies are spheres, or very nearly spherical.
2007-07-20 06:44:39 · answer #2 · answered by berm_shooter 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
About the same age as the earth, 4 billion years. The moon is the result of condensation of debris that were left in orbit after a protoplanet the size of Mars impacted a primitive Earth. The heavy bits stayed on Earth, the lighter bits bounced back in orbit and made the moon.
The impact left the Earth angled 27 degree relative to the ecliptic.
2007-07-20 06:34:49 · answer #3 · answered by Vincent G 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The moon is estimated to have formed about about 4.52 billion years ago. The Earth is 4.55 billion years old so its formed just a little later (in geologic time) than the Earth.
This the most widely accepted theory on the moon's formation http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_impact_hypothesis
2007-07-20 06:33:55 · answer #4 · answered by Lady Geologist 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The age of the moon is estimated of 4.5 billion years old.
2007-07-20 06:34:28 · answer #5 · answered by Ghassan 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Many estimate it to be around 3.5 to 4 billion years old.
2007-07-20 06:31:49 · answer #6 · answered by martybop 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Probably as old as the Earth,maybe a bit younger.
2007-07-21 08:18:03 · answer #7 · answered by Sir Adam the Strange 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
same age as the earth 4.6 billion years old..
2007-07-20 06:34:01 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋