Moons

Discover the amazing diversity of moons in our Solar System

There are lots of moons in our Solar System. The Earth is the only planet with just a single moon. Some are bigger than ours. Many are much smaller. Some moons have ongoing volcanic eruptions. Others have rivers of liquid methane. A small handful may even be home to primitive life.

This online course will allow you to explore the rich diversity of moons in our Solar System. With experts from The Open University, you’ll explore the fundamental processes that have shaped them, and the relationship between our Moon and the Earth.

The course was produced with the kind support of Dangoor Education.

An interest in learning about the moons of our Solar System and the methods used to understand them. Prior knowledge of astronomy is not expected.

• What are moons?
• Getting started
• Moons and their orbits
• How moons are formed, and tides
• Looking at moons
• Moons and what they’re made of
• Craters
• Making craters
• Looking closer
• Volcanism on moons
• Europa
• Small moons
• Our Moon
• Introducing the Moon
• Going to the Moon
• Bringing it home
• What we learned from the Moon
• Moon rocks
• Moon rocks under the microscope
• How old is the Man in the Moon?
• Water on the Moon
• Dry Moon
• Wet Moon
• More water on the Moon and its significance
• Exploring moons
• How have we done so far?
• Titan – a moon with seas of methane
• Some other icy moons
• Moons and the future
• Moons and the future
• Life, but as we know it?
• Wrapping it all up