Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Accretional capture of the Moon

Abstract

HYPOTHESES for the formation of the Earth–Moon system fall into one of three categories. The Moon was either (1) formed by fission from the Earth, (2) formed by accretion in Earth orbit, or (3) formed in solar orbit and then captured. We suggest that hypotheses (2) and (3) may be combined, with the result that many of the constraints on lunar origin are satisfied.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Kaula, W. M., and Harris, A. W., Nature, 245, 367 (1973).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Lyttleton, R. A., Proc. R. Soc., A 296, 285 (1967).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  3. Boersna, J., Bull. astr. Insts. Neth., 15, 291 (1961).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. Hadjidemetriou, J. D., Icarus, 5, 34 (1966).

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  5. Verhulst, F., and Eckhaus, W., Int. J. Non-Linear Mech., 5, 617 (1970).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. Opik, E. J., Adv. Astr. Astrophys., 8, 107 (1971).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. Anderson, D. L., The Moon, 8, 33 (1973).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. Ganapathy, R., and Anders, E., Proc. fifth Lunar Sci. Conf., 2, 1181 (1974).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Goldreich, P., and Ward, W. R., Astrophys. J., 183, 1051 (1973).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

CLARK, S., TURCOTTE, D. & NORDMANN, J. Accretional capture of the Moon. Nature 258, 219–220 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1038/258219a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/258219a0

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing