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Topic 2: The lunar disc

2 dot points across 2 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

What features can you see on the Moon with the naked eye, and how did they form?

The shape and size of the Moon, the principal naked-eye surface formations (craters, maria, terrae, mountains, valleys), their origin, and the named features on the lunar disc.
A focused answer to Edexcel GCSE Astronomy statements 2.1 to 2.5, covering the shape and mean diameter of the Moon, the principal naked-eye lunar surface formations (craters, maria, terrae, mountains and valleys) and their origin, and the named features such as the Sea of Tranquility, Tycho and the Apennine mountains.
9 min answer →

Why do we always see the same face of the Moon, yet slightly more than half of it over time?

The rotation and revolution periods of the Moon, the synchronous nature of its orbit, and the causes and effects of lunar libration.
A focused answer to Edexcel GCSE Astronomy statements 2.6 to 2.8, covering the rotation and orbital (revolution) periods of the Moon, why its synchronous (tidally locked) orbit means we always see the same near side, and the causes of lunar libration and its effect of letting us see about 59 percent of the surface over time.
9 min answer →