SpaceKids

SpaceKids: How Big Is the Moon?

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Waning Crescent Moon
A waning crescent moon is featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 24 crew member on the International Space Station. (Image credit: NASA)

The moon, or any object, can be measured by diameter or mass. The moon is 3,476 kilometers in diameter. This is small compared to the Earth, which has a diameter of 12,756 kilometers.

The moon’s mass is about 7.35 X 10 to the 22 power (735 with 20 zeroes after it) kilograms while the Earth weighs 5.97 X 10 to the 24 power (597 with 22 zeroes after it) kilograms.

SpaceKids on SPACE.com provides simple, straightforward answers to really big cosmic questions. See more SpaceKids questions.

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Space.com Staff
Space.com Staff
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Space.com is the premier source of space exploration, innovation and astronomy news, chronicling (and celebrating) humanity's ongoing expansion across the final frontier. Originally founded in 1999, Space.com is, and always has been, the passion of writers and editors who are space fans and also trained journalists. Our current news team consists of Editor-in-Chief Tariq Malik; Editor Hanneke Weitering, Senior Space Writer Mike Wall; Senior Writer Meghan Bartels; Senior Writer Chelsea Gohd, Senior Writer Tereza Pultarova and Staff Writer Alexander Cox, focusing on e-commerce. Senior Producer Steve Spaleta oversees our space videos, with Diana Whitcroft as our Social Media Editor.