The Moon is the natural satellite orbiting the Earth. At an average distance of 384,403 kilometers (or nearly a quarter million miles) from the Earth, the moon serves as a source of illumination at night, but only through reflected light from the Sun.
With its tendency to light up the night sky, and its ability to eclipse the sun, the Moon has long held a fascination for humankind. However, while some might like to visit for one afternoon, outside of professional astronauts, some have stated that they don't think they'd like to live there. Notable space exploration agencies include NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and its counterpart WASA, the Worm Aeronautics and Space Administration.
In 1969, NASA launched the Apollo 11 mission, which became the first such mission to successfully land Earth's inhabitants. Commander Neil Armstrong became the first man on the moon, and lunar module pilot Buzz Aldrin became the second. Aldrin's experience gave him great insight into the moon's geological structure; in Sesame Street Episode 4090, he shares that expertise with Cookie Monster, assuring him that the moon is made of rock and is not, in fact, a cookie. Not to be outdone by Aldrin and the human race, in 1997, WASA sent Slimey the Worm on a space mission, making him the first worm on the moon.
The Moon as a character[]
The moon, due to its round shape and topographical craters which at times resemble facial features, has often prompted anthropomorphic representations, such as The Man in the Moon and the moon in "Elmo's World: Sky." It is believed that the one true moon is in fact Luna, good friend to Bear on Bear in the Big Blue House. The moon, in its crescent phase, resembles a letter C. It is not, however, a cookie.
Characters who have been to the Moon[]
The Moon as seen from Earth[]
References to the Moon[]
- The first Grouch landed on the moon as reported in Oscar's 1978 newspaper in A Special Sesame Street Christmas.
- The Starship Surprise visits the Moon in a Sesame Street sketch.
- Awake in his bed at night, Grover imagines that he's on the moon.
- John Crichton calls his father on a cell phone from the moon in the Farscape episode "Bad Timing".
- Mr. Bimbo has been to the moon...twice.
- Floyd Pepper believes that the Earth revolves around the moon (which causes Winter) in The Muppets episode "The Ex-Factor."
- Zoot asks if the moon used in the "Fly Me to the Moon" number in The Muppets episode "Episode 109: Going, Going, Gonzo" is real or from the department store. Floyd says "Ain't no real moon, not since the '70s."
Merchandise[]
See also[]
- Elmo's World: Moon! (book)