Five Myths About the Moon | We have full moons, blue moons, moons of bleeding, and more. In this material, you can find out some myths and misconceptions about the Earth’s natural satellite. 

The moon is Earth’s only natural satellite and the fifth largest in the Solar System. It is, at the same time, the largest natural satellite of a planet in the Solar System, relative to the Earth’s size, with a quarter of Earth’s diameter and 1/81 of the mass.  The Moon is the second-density satellite in the Solar System after Io, one of Jupiter’s satellites. In its synchronous rotation around the Earth, the Moon presents its same face with small changes.  The moon’s view includes dark volcanic cones, ground areas and impact craters.

The dark side of the moon

Most people know that we see only one face of the Moon on Earth. Sometimes this gives rise to the idea that there is a dark, permanent part of the moon. In fact, the unseen face of the moon is no darker than the part we see. That part is lightened according to the moon phases we see from Earth.  The fact that we only see a face of Earth’s natural satellite has nothing to do with the Moon’s phases – the New, the Fourth, the Full, nor the light that it receives.  Is due to the fact that this celestial body possesses a period of rotation equal to its period of revolution (27,3217 days), a phenomenon called synchronous rotation or resonance lock. In other words, the moon is in a rotating motion around its own axis in synchrony with that of the Earth.

The moon is white

Anyone who saw a Moon Full on a clear sky could believe that. But the Moon is neither brilliant nor white. As with brightness, colour is a subjective thing. The moon does not emit any light of its own, but it shines reflecting the light of the sun.  The colour of the moon varies somewhat depending on its phase and position in the sky, although this colour variation is generally sometimes too subtle for people’s eyes.  However, the Moon is actually grey and not white. It has a colour similar to that of the used asphalt on the street.

The moon is perfectly round

For the human eye, the Moon appears round and it is normal to suppose it has a spherical shape. It’s not like that.  The moon has the form of a slightly flattened ball and the exposed side of the Earth is slightly larger than the unseen. It’s like an egg, but not so obvious. Deformation is low, but there is.

There is no gravity on the Moon

The moon has gravity. The idea that the Moon would not have such a thing is not so widespread and is regarded by ridiculous specialists.  Many people saw images with an astronaut arriving on Earth’s natural satellite jump up and returning to its surface.  The force of gravity on the Moon is about one-sixth of that on Earth.

Moon influences the human body

There is no doubt that the Moon, or rather its gravity, is the main cause of ocean tides on Earth.  However, some people use the undeniable effect of the moon on the tides to claim that the moon produces effects in the human body.  In short, gravity depends on two things: mass and distance. According to astronomers, effects are produced only when the two objects involved (eg Earth and Moon) are both astronomical (much larger than a human).  If tidal effects could even be measured in the human body, they would be about one-half the thickness of a sheet of paper.  Are extremely small, inscrutable values, much lower than the human body could resemble, for example when a truck passes by us … or even when another person passes by us.

We often hear that hospitals are reported to have an increase in birth rates when it is Full Moon. But the studies conducted so far do not support this theory. Extensive studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the American Journal of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and others.  On the other hand, women’s menstrual cycles seem to have a connection with the cycle of the moon’s orbit around the Earth. If it’s a true correlation and not a coincidence, it’s hard to explain yet. It can not be said that there is no correlation …But it is not caused by the gravity of the moon, as in the case of tides.