Animation of the Moon-Forming Impact (VIDEO)
Caption
One possible realization of the Moon-forming impact event is animated. Here it is assumed that a Mars-sized protoplanet, defined as having 13 percent of an Earth-mass, struck the proto-Earth at a 45-degree angle near the mutual escape velocity of both worlds. The "red" particles, comprising 0.3 percent of an Earth-mass, were found to escape the Earth-Moon system. Some of this debris may eventually go on to strike other solar system bodies like large main belt asteroids. "Yellow-green" particles go into the disk that makes the Moon. "Blue" particles were accreted by the proto-Earth. The details of this simulation can be found in Canup, R. (2004, Simulations of a late lunar-forming impact, Icarus 168, 433-456).
Credit
Robin Canup, Southwest Research Institute
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