Early Earth may have had two moons

I decided to put it here instead of Space Exploration, because it isn't really exploration.

This is the new striking news that indicates that earth may infact have had two moons earlier on in its life.

Earth once had two moons, which merged in a slow-motion collision that took several hours to complete, researchers propose in Nature today.

Contrary to the popular belief, which states

that the infant Moon rapidly swept up any rivals or gravitationally ejected them into interstellar space, the new theory suggests that one body survived, parked in a gravitationally stable point in the Earth–Moon system.

What is the evidence for this?

The Moon's visible side is dominated by low-lying lava plains, whereas its farside is composed of highlands...

...What this suggests, Asphaug says, is that something 'squished' the late-solidifying KREEP layer to one side of the Moon, well after the rest of the crust had solidified. An impact, he believes, is the most likely explanation.

I can't really see the benefits of this discovery, but I suppose it's good to know. Although it did add two other likely scenarios that could explain how the moon looks that way

Apshaug's theory isn't the only attempt to explain the lunar dichotomy. Others have invoked tidal effects from Earth's gravity, or convective forces from cooling rocks in the Moon's mantle.

Early Earth may have had two moons

I read it earlier in the daily mail, my first thought was Nibiru

Originally posted by Griffo
I decided to put it here instead of Space Exploration, because it isn't really exploration.

This is the new striking news that indicates that earth may infact have had two moons earlier on in its life.

Earth once had two moons, which merged in a slow-motion collision that took several hours to complete, researchers propose in Nature today.

Contrary to the popular belief, which states

that the infant Moon rapidly swept up any rivals or gravitationally ejected them into interstellar space, the new theory suggests that one body survived, parked in a gravitationally stable point in the Earth–Moon system.

What is the evidence for this?

The Moon's visible side is dominated by low-lying lava plains, whereas its farside is composed of highlands...

...What this suggests, Asphaug says, is that something 'squished' the late-solidifying KREEP layer to one side of the Moon, well after the rest of the crust had solidified. An impact, he believes, is the most likely explanation.

I can't really see the benefits of this discovery, but I suppose it's good to know. Although it did add two other likely scenarios that could explain how the moon looks that way

Apshaug's theory isn't the only attempt to explain the lunar dichotomy. Others have invoked tidal effects from Earth's gravity, or convective forces from cooling rocks in the Moon's mantle.

Early Earth may have had two moons

I read this earlier when I was at work, and they are just "assuming" it had 2 moons, they even admitted they had no way of knowing for sure. Proof or it never happened

I've heard tons of legends, and old stories from a few different cultures of there once being two moons, I believe it could've had 2 moons, it'd be a pretty awesome sight to see two moons rising up over the horizon!

im not sure this is a new theory.. i cant recall where but i have heard it before, and it was some time ago.

An asymmetrical mass build would explain the gravitational phenomena where the Moon has only one side visible from the Earth...

Is it possible that this theoretical collision played a large part in the appearance of life on Earth?

It is still out there, just further away now just ahead of us in the same elliptic path.

There was a thread just the other day on this discovery!

www.abovetopsecret.com...

reply to post by Griffo

Beat you to it mate. Thread with identical title here. www.abovetopsecret.com...

As posted above there's already a thread discussing this topic.

Thread closed.