Scientists may have found the planet that made the Moon
Researchers say temperature-dependent strength changed the Moon-forming impact, with simulations showing an intact Moon can emerge in 84% of one scenario, the authors said.
- New simulations published September 1 in The Astrophysical Journal Letters suggest the Moon could have formed in just 5 hours following the Earth-Theia collision, enabled by incorporating material strength into planetary models.
- The Giant Impact Hypothesis posits that a Mars-sized planet named Theia collided with Earth roughly 4.5 billion years ago, yet prior simulations ignored material strength, assuming it would have negligible effects during such an energetic event.
- Researchers led by Dr. Adeene Denton of the Southwest Research Institute found that hotter, weaker material produces an intact Moon, while colder, stronger bodies generate a classic protolunar debris disk, fundamentally changing established formation scenarios.
- These mechanical responses reconcile the nearly identical isotopic signatures of Earth and the Moon, suggesting Theia originated in the inner Solar System as a neighbor to Earth before the two bodies collided.
- Incorporating material strength into planetary models improves understanding of other ancient collisions, such as those shaping Jupiter's moon Ganymede or Saturn's moon Titan, while aiding the search for elusive exomoons.
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The moon may have formed in just 5 hours, new simulations suggest
The moon may have formed in as few as five hours after the cataclysmic collision between Earth and a long-lost protoplanet, new simulations suggest. The surprising findings could help shed light on other historic impacts throughout our cosmic neighborhood and beyond.Experts strongly suspect that the moon was created when a Mars-size space rock called Theia smashed into an early version of our planet, back when the solar system was young and extr…
The temperature of the Earth and Theia would have been key to determining how the debris was dispersed and how long it took for the Moon to form.
Scientists Are Still Trying To Understand How the Moon Formed
The Earth and the Moon have nearly identical isotopic compositions, and the Giant Impact Hypothesis strives to explain this. New research into the ancient impact shows how the temperature of both worlds, and how it affects the strength of the materials involved in the collision, shaped the outcome, including the isotopic compositions.
Scientists may have found the planet that made the Moon
About 4.5 billion years ago, a colossal impact between the young Earth and a mysterious planetary body called Theia changed everything—reshaping Earth, forming the Moon, and scattering clues across space rocks. By examining subtle isotopic fingerprints in Earth and Moon samples, scientists have reconstructed Theia’s possible composition and birthplace.
A twist on the creation of the MoonMore...
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