Re: Needs a moon of decent size
I believe that theory has been shot down now. It came about because there are far more craters on the far side of the moon. So the idea was that side was getting hit, and saving the Earth from those impacts.
It's now been simulated that when the Earth/Moon system formed they were close enough together (and hot enough) that the near side of the Moon stayed molten for a long time due to the heat being given off by the Earth. So the impacts that happened as the Earth/Moon system were settling down could still be seen on the far side which solidified early, but would splash into one of the still molten mares on the near side. By the time the near side solidified the rate of impacts had dropped, so that we can still see the flat plains (mares) as they were when they formed.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
