Moon Craters

When you look at the Moon, you can see round circles on its surface. These are called craters. They were made when rocks from space hit the Moon. The Moon has no wind or rain to wear them away, so they last for billions of years.

How Craters Form

A crater forms when a space rock called a meteoroid slams into the Moon. The rock hits so hard that it blasts out a big hole. Dust and rock fly everywhere and fall back down. The biggest craters have tall walls and a little hill in the middle. Small craters are shaped like bowls.

Famous Craters

The Moon has millions of craters, big and small. One big crater is named Tycho. It has long bright streaks coming out of it that you can see from Earth. Another is called Copernicus. Astronauts have walked near some craters during the Apollo moon missions. They brought back rocks so scientists could learn about them.

Fun Facts

• The biggest crater on the Moon is over 1,500 miles wide.
• Some craters are named after famous scientists.
• The Moon gets new craters every year from small rock strikes.

Did You Know?

Earth also gets hit by space rocks, but our air, water, and plants hide or erase the craters over time.