moonquakes
Satellite ground shaking
Moonquakes are seismic vibrations on the Moon, analogous to earthquakes on Earth.
They were first detected by seismometers placed during the Apollo missions.
Unlike earthquakes, moonquakes can last much longer—sometimes over an hour—because the Moon's dry, fractured crust doesn't dampen vibrations as Earth's does.
They originate from tidal stresses, meteorite impacts, and thermal expansion.
Involuntary rhythmic shaking
- vibrationRapid oscillating movement
- epicenterPoint above seismic origin
- magnitudeSize or scale
- seismometerDetects ground vibrations
Apollo · regolith · fault · shaking · subsurface · shallow · deep · thermal
NASA's lunar exploration program
- seismographEarthquake measuring device
- lunar moduleSpacecraft for surface landings
- astronautSpacecraft crew member
- NASAFederal space exploration bureau
data · sensors · instrument · experiment · scientific discovery · lunar surface · equipment · detection
Losing thermal energy
- contractionReduction in size
- shrinkageDecrease in size
- thermal stressStrain from temperature change
- tidal forcesDifferential gravitational pull across bodies
settling · radioactive decay · core · surface features · graben · tectonism · compression
Sudden ground movement
- intensityStrength or force level
- frequencyRate of recurrence
- durationLength of existence
- ringingSustained resonant sound
attenuation · scattering · amplitude · P-wave · S-wave · seismic activity · terrestrial · extraterrestrial
tremor
Involuntary rhythmic shaking
seismometer · Apollo · regolith · fault · shaking · subsurface · shallow · deep · thermal · seismic wave
Apollo missions
NASA's lunar exploration program
- seismographEarthquake measuring device
- lunar moduleSpacecraft for surface landings
- astronautSpacecraft crew member
NASA · data · sensors · instrument · experiment · scientific discovery · lunar surface · equipment · detection · recording
cooling
Losing thermal energy
- contractionReduction in size
- shrinkageDecrease in size
- thermal stressStrain from temperature change
tidal forces · settling · radioactive decay · core · surface features · graben · tectonism · compression
earthquakes
Sudden ground movement
ringing · attenuation · scattering · amplitude · P-wave · S-wave · seismic activity · terrestrial · extraterrestrial
- moonlunar, luna, moonset, moonbeam, crescent
- Moon sciencelunar surface, lunar orbit, lunar phases, lunar craters, Apollo program
- planetary scienceplanetary cores, planet formation, planetary formation, planetary rings, atmospheres