Cool Moon Facts by Whip

Real astronomy, with sources. Folklore & tradition.

Fact #043 Geology

The bright streaks fanning across the full moon come from one crater. Tycho's rays reach 1,500 km from the impact.

Tycho is young, about 108 million years old, which on the Moon counts as recent, so its ejecta hasn't yet been darkened by space weathering. At full moon, when shadows disappear, the rays are the most obvious feature on the disc. Find the bright spot low on the disc and everything radiates from it.

Source: Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (opens in a new tab) · checked Aug 2026

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