Editing Moon (section)

===Natural development===
[[File:Archean.png|thumb|upright=1.5|Artist's depiction of the Moon in Earth's sky as it might have appeared around 4 billion years ago, after the [[Late Heavy Bombardment]]. At that time the Moon orbited the Earth at a third of its current distance, making it appear 2.8 times larger in [[apparent size]] than it does today.<ref name="Lunar and Planetary Institute" />]]

The newly formed Moon settled into a much closer Earth orbit than it has today. Each body therefore appeared much larger in the sky of the other, [[eclipse]]s were more frequent, and [[tidal effect]]s were stronger.<ref name="Lunar and Planetary Institute">{{cite web |title=Earth-Moon Dynamics |website=Lunar and Planetary Institute |url=https://www.lpi.usra.edu/exploration/training/illustrations/earthMoon/ |access-date=September 2, 2022 |archive-date=September 7, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907215806/https://www.lpi.usra.edu/exploration/training/illustrations/earthMoon/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
Due to [[tidal acceleration]], the Moon's orbit around Earth has become significantly larger, with a longer period.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Early evolution of the Earth-Moon system with a fast-spinning Earth |last1=Wisdom |first1=Jack |last2=Tian |first2=ZhenLiang |journal=Icarus |volume=256 |pages=138–146 |date=August 2015 |doi=10.1016/j.icarus.2015.02.025 |bibcode=2015Icar..256..138W}}</ref>

Following formation, the Moon has cooled and most of [[Atmosphere of the Moon|its atmosphere]] has been stripped.<ref name="John 2017">{{cite magazine |last=John |first=Tara |title=NASA: The Moon Once Had an Atmosphere That Faded Away |magazine=Time |date=October 9, 2017 |url=https://time.com/4974580/nasa-moon-had-atmosphere-volcanoes/ |access-date=May 16, 2023 |archive-date=May 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230514100131/https://time.com/4974580/nasa-moon-had-atmosphere-volcanoes/ |url-status=live}}</ref> The [[surface of the Moon|lunar surface]] has since been shaped by large [[impact event]]s and many small ones, forming a landscape featuring [[Lunar crater|craters]] of all ages.

The Moon was [[volcanism|volcanically active]] until 1.2&nbsp;billion years ago, which laid down the prominent [[lunar maria]]. Most of the [[lunar mare|mare basalts]] erupted during the [[Imbrian|Imbrian period]], 3.3–3.7&nbsp;billion years ago, though some are as young as 1.2&nbsp;billion years<ref name="Hiesinger" /> and some as old as 4.2&nbsp;billion years.<ref name="Papike" /> There are differing explanations for the eruption of mare basalts, particularly their uneven occurrence which mainly appear on the near-side. Causes of the distribution of the [[lunar highlands]] on the [[Far side of the Moon|far side]] are also not well understood. Topological measurements show the near side crust is thinner than the far side. One possible scenario then is that large impacts on the near side may have made it easier for lava to flow onto the surface.<ref name="ESA Science & Technology 2006">{{cite web |title=Lunar Far Side Highlands |website=ESA Science & Technology |date=July 14, 2006 |url=https://sci.esa.int/web/smart-1/-/39791-lunar-far-side-highlands |access-date=September 2, 2022 |archive-date=September 2, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220902221440/https://sci.esa.int/web/smart-1/-/39791-lunar-far-side-highlands |url-status=live}}</ref>