Moon
MOON: Such influences can be found in language, calendar systems, art, and mythology. The lunar surface is fairly non-reflective, with the reflectance of lunar soil being comparable to that of asphalt. The near side of the Moon is marked by dark volcanic maria ("seas"), which fill the spaces between bright ancient crustal highlands and prominent impact craters. The Moon is tidally locked to Earth, which means that the length of a full rotation of the Moon on its own axis causes its same side (the near side) to always face Earth, and the somewhat longer lunar day is the same as the synodic period. It then receded to a wider orbit because of tidal interaction with the Earth. It lacks any significant atmosphere, hydrosphere, or magnetic field. The Moon is a planetary-mass object with a differentiated rocky body, making it a satellite planet under the geophysical definitions of the term and larger than all known dwarf planets of the Solar System. The Moon is the only celestial b...