Moon may have formed within five hours of giant earth impact, scientists find

The Moon may have formed in as little as five hours following a massive collision with the early Earth, according to a study conducted by scientists from the Southwest Research Institute and the University of Arizona. For years, researchers believed the moon was created after a Mars-sized object called Theia struck the young Earth, ejecting vast quantities of molten rock into space.

These materials were then believed to gradually coalesce into Earth's satellite over an extended period. However, the new computer simulations reveal that the process could have been significantly faster. In certain collision scenarios, the researchers found that a substantial moon could have emerged within just five hours of the impact.

Dr. Adeene Denton, a planetary scientist from the Southwest Research Institute, explained that the speed of formation depends on the temperature of both the Earth and Theia before the collision. If the temperatures were high, the impact could have obliterated Theia and produced a vast disc of debris that eventually formed the Moon.

The findings, published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters, could provide crucial insights into one of the most significant questions in planetary science: the rapidity with which the collision that created the Moon was followed by its formation. This new understanding might also help explain several enduring mysteries about the Moon, such as its compositional differences and the amount of volatile material it contains.