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Moons of the Solar System

by Mark Hughes

There are more than 140 known moons throughout our solar system. Most are barren rock, while some have atmospheres, volcanoes, and maybe even oceans of liquid water or methane. Follow this slideshow to learn more about the moons of our solar system.

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lunamars

Luna


The moon around Earth is known simply as "the Moon," but it is also named Luna, after the Roman moon goddess. Luna is one of the largest moons in the solar system; it does not have an atmosphere and its surface is rocky. The people of Earth are used to Luna shining down on them. Luna does not create its own light however; it simply reflects the light from the Sun. Notice the red spot in the upper right of the picture, that's Mars in the distance.

Fun Fact: If you lived on the Moon, you would see the Earth go through phases, much like Earthlings see the Moon do.

Photo source: NASA

Next: Phobos

Infoplease

Provided by Infoplease—an authoritative, comprehensive reference website that offers an encyclopedia, a dictionary, an atlas, and several almanacs. Visit Infoplease.com to find more resources endorsed by teachers and librarians.

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