Uploaded June 2019 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago
Weather and geological activity erase Earth’s earliest records of how the planet formed, so this information needs to come from elsewhere. Fifty years ago, the Apollo astronauts brought back 840 pounds of moon rocks, pebbles, sand, and dust from six different landing sites. These rocks tell us that the Moon formed from the Earth: billions of years ago, Earth was likely hit by a body the size of Mars, and the Moon formed out of the resulting debris. The chemical composition of the Moon rocks has also taught us about how the Earth itself formed, with the heavier elements sinking down to the planet’s core and the lighter elements floating on the top to form the crust.
Interview: Steve Moijzis, Director of the Collaborative for Research in Origins (CRiO), University of Colorado Boulder.
Free for Educational Use
4K Planetarium Domemasters and educator guides available: https://www.colorado.edu/fiske/fiske-productions
Fiske is one of the largest planetariums in the US, having served CU Boulder & the local community since 1975. We offer a diverse range of fulldome films, live talks, laser and liquid sky shows, as well as public gatherings for astronomical and NASA-related events.
Follow Fiske Planetarium:
Website | https://www.colorado.edu/fiske
Instagram | instagram.com/fiskeplanet
Facebook | facebook.com/teamfiske
Weather and geological activity erase Earth’s earliest records of how the planet formed, so this information needs to come from elsewhere. Fifty years ago, the Apollo astronauts brought back 840 pounds of moon rocks, pebbles, sand, and dust from six different landing sites. These rocks tell us that the Moon formed from the Earth: billions of years ago, Earth was likely hit by a body the size of Mars, and the Moon formed out of the resulting debris. The chemical composition of the Moon rocks has also taught us about how the Earth itself formed, with the heavier elements sinking down to the planet’s core and the lighter elements floating on the top to form the crust.
Interview: Steve Moijzis, Director of the Collaborative for Research in Origins (CRiO), University of Colorado Boulder.
Free for Educational Use
4K Planetarium Domemasters and educator guides available: https://www.colorado.edu/fiske/fiske-productions
Fiske is one of the largest planetariums in the US, having served CU Boulder & the local community since 1975. We offer a diverse range of fulldome films, live talks, laser and liquid sky shows, as well as public gatherings for astronomical and NASA-related events.
Follow Fiske Planetarium:
Website | https://www.colorado.edu/fiske
Instagram | instagram.com/fiskeplanet
Facebook | facebook.com/teamfiske
