Explore The Moon's Surface | The Schools' Observatory

You have probably seen the Moon in the sky but have you ever studied it in detail?

In this activity, you will examine different parts of the Moon’s surface and collect data about the features you find there. This will help you answer the question, ‘How similar are different areas of the Moon’s surface?’

By the end of this activity you will:

Have carried out a scientific investigation
Counted and measured craters on the Moon
Recorded data in a table
Discovered if different parts of the Moon’s surface are similar or not

To complete this activity you will need:

To watch the video instructions on this page
To download and print the Moonsaic - Last Quarter files.
A ruler
Paper and pencil

Files or Documents

moonsaic2.zip (2.09 MB)

moonsaic3.zip (1.49 MB)

moonsaic4.zip (4.87 MB)

moonsaic5.zip (4.94 MB)

Moonsaic-Apollo-Landings.zip (8.44 MB)

Approx Duration

30 - 60 mins

Have a go

Before you start:

Watch the What Can We See on the Moon video which gives you an introduction to the Moon's surface.
Download and print out the Moonsaic Last Quarter jigsaw (link downloads a zip file)

Watch the video on this page and follow the instructions:

Investigate
- Choose one piece to study in detail
- Describe what you can see
- Count the craters
- Measure the width (in mm) of the biggest crater
Share your results with others
Analyse the results
Assemble the Moonsaic (the files you downloaded contain a 'map' which shows the completed Moonsaic).

Extra activities

Can you use maths to work out the real size of craters on the Moon?
Can you work out what percentage of each segment is covered in craters?

If you liked this, why not try

What Can We See on the Moon?

Make Your Own Impact Crater

Why Does the Moon Have Phases

Have a go

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