TIME

Birth of the Moon

≈ 4.5 billion years ago

Illustration of the giant impact: a molten young Earth on the right collides with a smaller planet on the left, throwing a fiery spray of debris into space.

Earth & LifeBirth of the Moon

A giant collision, most likely.

The Moon formed early in Earth’s history, most likely after a giant collision with the young Earth. Debris from the impact gathered into our natural satellite.

The oldest dated lunar rocks are about 4.4 to 4.5 billion years old, which sets a minimum age for the Moon.

4.5 billion years ago, placed on the scale of its era on a line leading toward now.

Era
Earth & Life
Period
≈ 4.5 billion years ago
Edition
1/1
Status
Not Released
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Background artwork

An original illustration generated for TIME with an AI image model, 2026. An artistic reconstruction of the giant-impact idea for the Moon’s origin. It is an interpretation of a leading theory, not an observation.