back to article Moon was formed when PLANET SMASHED INTO EARTH

That old theory that the Moon was formed out of fragments of Earth blasted into space after a massive planetary collision 4.5 billion years ago has gained support from two new studies. Giant impact, common at the end of planet formation Boffins have tried to figure out exactly how a giant impact in our solar system made the …

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  1. QuinnDexter

    "The second study, by Robin Canup at the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, also backs the impact theory, but she reckons that the Earth and the planet that hit it were each around half of the Earth's current mass."

    The maths doesn't work for this unless her assumption of each Proto-Eath and Theia has a tolerance range of half a moon each, which is a kinda hefty tolerance...

    @ Local G

    Perhaps the matter that makes up the numerous moons coalesced seperately to the gas giants and then got dragged into orbit around them as the big fellas were on their little trek around the sun

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  2. fearnothing

    >>What are "rotation forces"?

    >>Surely we can come up with a sexier name than that don't you think?

    This calls for a suitable unit of measurement!

  3. Afflicted.John
    WTF?

    So what do they know about the Moon that they did not 10 years ago? Reason being that the theory of the Moon's composition revolved around the surface being comprised of a single tectonic plate which floated in the past on top of a now cooled mantle. The hypothesis was that here was a small molten iron core which had long since cooled although the presence of deep moonquakes does mean that "there's something going on in there".

    If these theories are true, then the Moon could not have an iron core, could it?

  4. Tom 13

    Bah! Everyone knows the Minervans did it.

    As documented by James P. Hogan was back in '81:

    http://www.jamesphogan.com/books/book.php?titleID=9

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