H ow the Moon formed is something astronomers have been wondering for ages. The best idea is that put forward by Bill Hartmann – an astronomer and fellow space artist – and Donald Davis. They assert that a massive protoplanet slammed into Earth just after it had formed, creating a ring of debris around the young planet. The Moon then formed later as the material in this disc clumped together. This picture shows the process in three stages.
Name: Chaos and Order
Category: Solar System
Medium: Photoshop
Date: 1999
Client: Personal
Tags: