NASA: Earth May Once Have Had Three Moons

News Type: Event — Seeded on Fri May 9, 2008 9:05 AM EDT

Article Source: FOXNews.com

Earth may once have had more than one moon, most probably two more, NASA scientists think.

Prevailing scientific consensus holds that the existing Moon was formed when a Mars-sized planet collided with the Earth 4.5 billion years ago, when the solar system was very young.

Published to:

ShaunV's Column, All of Newsvine
Groups: Earth News, Hubbert's Peak, Newsvine Science, Open Mic, Open Minded, Science And Technology
Regions: none

What's this?

Who's leading the conversation?

This visualization below allows you to see the impact that each user has on the current conversation. The top row contains the group of users who have had the most impact, the 2nd row the group of users who have had the 2nd most impact (et cetera). Users with similar impact are grouped together, and the average score of the group is shown to the left of the group. The author of the article is also shown on the left, in their corresponding group. Each user's score is based on the number of comments the user has made plus the number of votes their comments have received. The scores are calculated relative one another, so while their absolute value is not particularly important, their relative difference does indicate a larger difference in impact on the conversation.

4.5

2.1

{"commentId":1782250,"authorDomain":"SVForbes"}

ShaunV

In a separate study, astrophysicist Matija Cuk of the University of British Columbia thinks the smallest possible moons, those only a few dozen miles across, could have lasted for up to a billion years at the Lagrangian points in the Moon's orbit.

{"commentId":1782250,"threadId":"261987","contentId":"1478156","authorDomain":"SVForbes"}

2 votes

#1 - Fri May 9, 2008 9:07 AM EDT

{"commentId":1786915,"authorDomain":"Wheel"}

Wheel

Separate modelling work by Matija Cuk, an astrophysicist at the University of British Columbia in Canada, suggests small, asteroid-sized objects a few tens of kilometres across would have lasted the longest as Trojan satellites. Cuk estimates these 'lost moons' might have circled Earth for a billion years or more after the Moon's formation.

Very cool to think off. Of course the surface of the Earth was basically boiling lava then.

{"commentId":1786915,"threadId":"261987","contentId":"1478156","authorDomain":"Wheel"}

2 votes

#2 - Sat May 10, 2008 6:40 PM EDT

{"commentId":1789089,"authorDomain":"roybatty"}

Roy Batty

Hence, three moons but no-one to see them!

{"commentId":1789089,"threadId":"261987","contentId":"1478156","authorDomain":"roybatty"}

3 votes

#2.1 - Sun May 11, 2008 4:44 PM EDT

{"commentId":1786993,"authorDomain":"eriktheread"}

Erik the Read

So, what about our one remaining moon, will it ever leave us, too? A quick look around the web, the answer seems to be "no", barring some cosmic event as yet unforeseen.

{"commentId":1786993,"threadId":"261987","contentId":"1478156","authorDomain":"eriktheread"}

1 vote

#3 - Sat May 10, 2008 7:20 PM EDT

{"commentId":1787455,"authorDomain":"cletuswilbury"}

Cletus Wilbury

We should start REXing ASAP.

(Civ4 rhetoric)

{"commentId":1787455,"threadId":"261987","contentId":"1478156","authorDomain":"cletuswilbury"}

1 vote

#4 - Sat May 10, 2008 11:10 PM EDT

{"commentId":1788590,"authorDomain":"SVForbes"}

ShaunV

Thanks all for the interesting questions and input.

{"commentId":1788590,"threadId":"261987","contentId":"1478156","authorDomain":"SVForbes"}

1 vote

#5 - Sun May 11, 2008 12:41 PM EDT

{"canLink":false,"threadId":"261987","isPrivate":false}

SHAUNV

Backyard

NASA: Earth May Once Have Had Three Moons

Published to:

FUN STUFF:

COMPANY STUFF:

LEGAL STUFF:

- Camera on Stolen Laptop Helps Owner Catch Thieves	FOXNews.com	Sat May 10	1
Code Pink Protesters Try Witchcraft at Anti-Marine Rallies	FOXNews.com	Fri May 9	0
Students punished for not standing during pledge	FOXNews.com	Sat May 10	1
- Austrian 'Horror Dad' Could Face Life in Child's Death -	FOXNews.com	Sat May 10	1
Tornadoes Tear Across Southern Plains, Killing 18	FOXNews.com	Sun May 11	0