Science Secrets · Drawing 20 of 40
The Moon Has Dents
Space
Many lunar craters come from impacts. An object from space strikes the surface and makes a depression. In this tray, a small ball helps us imagine what happens.
Did you know?
Many ancient craters remain visible on the Moon.
Look together
Which dents can you find on the model?
An idea to try
An adult drops a small ball into a sand tray from a low height. Compare the shapes without throwing the ball.
For the adult reading along
A little more to discover
Lunar impacts often occur at very high speed. The sand test illustrates a depression but does not reproduce all the forces of a real impact.
Sources and illustration notes (1)
Simplified scene and shapes. Models, imagined comparisons and enlargements do not preserve all real measurements.
These links lead to other websites. Explore them with an adult. References identify the institution and the related lesson; some linked pages are in French.
- NASA Science: Moon CratersMany lunar craters come from impacts. An object from space strikes the surface and makes a depression. In this tray, a small ball helps us imagine what happens.
Source review: 2026-10-12. Illustrations are simplified for colouring.
