Questions in this quiz: Earth's Moon

The Moon's formation, surface features (maria, highlands, craters), phases, the tides, libration, the far side, and lunar exploration from the Soviet probes to Apollo to Artemis.

1. Which mission first landed humans on the Moon in July 1969? — Options: Apollo 8, Apollo 10, Apollo 11, Apollo 13
2. What is the leading scientific explanation for how the Moon formed? — Options: It was captured by Earth's gravity from the asteroid belt, It condensed alongside Earth from the same dust cloud, It split off from a rapidly spinning early Earth, It formed from debris of a giant impact between Earth and a Mars-sized body
3. The dark, smooth plains visible on the Moon's near side are known by what name? — Options: Maria, Highlands, Rilles, Terrae
4. What name is given to the lunar phase when the Moon appears fully illuminated from Earth? — Options: First quarter, Waxing crescent, Full moon, New moon
5. Roughly how long does it take the Moon to complete one cycle of phases as seen from Earth? — Options: About 7 days, About 15 days, About 29.5 days, About 365 days
6. Earth's ocean tides are primarily caused by the gravitational pull of which body? — Options: The Sun, The Moon, Jupiter, Venus
7. Why do observers on Earth always see essentially the same side of the Moon? — Options: The Moon does not rotate at all, Its rotation period equals its orbital period around Earth, Earth's atmosphere bends light from the far side, The far side is permanently in shadow