Moon

A confirmed moon in the Earth system.

Named

Snapshot 2026-09-09 · catalog 1.0.0

Explore Moon in Orrery · Stand on Moon →

Physical measurements

Mean radius: 1,737.4 ± 0.1 kmmeasured · Source estimate; uncertainty is the source-reported standard error when available.
GM · gravitational parameter: 4,902.8 ± 0.001 km³ s⁻²measured · Source estimate; uncertainty is the source-reported standard error when available.
Mass: ≈ 7.3458e+22 ± 1.6510e+18 kgderived · GM/G; independent standard uncertainties combined in quadrature. No uncertainty is invented when the source omits GM uncertainty.
Mean density: ≈ 3.344 ± 0.001 g cm⁻³derived · JPL derives density from GM and volume-equivalent radius.

PCK reference shape axes: ≈ 1,737.4 × ≈ 1,737.4 × ≈ 1,737.4 km. These are model axes, not a mapped surface.

Orbit descriptions

Mean elements describe an average orbit. They are not positions for a chosen date.

DE405/LE405 · ecliptic plane · 2000-01-01.5 TDB

Semimajor axis: 384,400 km
Sidereal period: 27.322 days
Eccentricity: 0.0554
Inclination to reference plane: 5.16°
Argument of periapsis: 318.15°
Mean anomaly: 135.27°
Ascending node: 125.08°
Apsidal / nodal precession periods: 5.997 / 18.6 years
Reference-plane pole RA / Dec: — / —°
Plane tilt to parent equator: —°
Reference center: Not specified in this summary sourceThe summary table identifies a parent system but does not explicitly specify the reference center for each solution. Do not infer a physical-primary center, especially for Pluto’s circumbinary moons.

Orientation

NAIF-pck00011 supplies a modeled pole and prime meridian in the J2000 frame. A dated sky also needs compatible trajectories.

Pole right ascension: 269.9949, 0.0031, 0
Pole declination: 66.5392, 0.013, 0
Prime meridian: 38.3213, 13.17635815, -1.4e-12
Reference epoch: JD 2451545 TDB

Periodic corrections

RA and prime-meridian corrections multiply sine; declination corrections multiply cosine. Each row uses the same angle polynomial for its three corrections.

Term 1 · angle coefficients: 125.045, -1935.5364525, 0RA: -3.8787° · Dec: 1.5419° · meridian: 3.561°
Term 2 · angle coefficients: 250.089, -3871.072905, 0RA: -0.1204° · Dec: 0.0239° · meridian: 0.1208°
Term 3 · angle coefficients: 260.008, 475263.3328725, 0RA: 0.07° · Dec: -0.0278° · meridian: -0.0642°
Term 4 · angle coefficients: 176.625, 487269.629985, 0RA: -0.0172° · Dec: 0.0068° · meridian: 0.0158°
Term 5 · angle coefficients: 357.529, 35999.0509575, 0RA: 0° · Dec: 0° · meridian: 0.0252°
Term 6 · angle coefficients: 311.589, 964468.49931, 0RA: 0.0072° · Dec: -0.0029° · meridian: -0.0066°
Term 7 · angle coefficients: 134.963, 477198.869325, 0RA: 0° · Dec: 0.0009° · meridian: -0.0047°
Term 8 · angle coefficients: 276.617, 12006.300765, 0RA: 0° · Dec: 0° · meridian: -0.0046°
Term 9 · angle coefficients: 34.226, 63863.5132425, 0RA: 0° · Dec: 0° · meridian: 0.0028°
Term 10 · angle coefficients: 15.134, -5806.6093575, 0RA: -0.0052° · Dec: 0.0008° · meridian: 0.0052°
Term 11 · angle coefficients: 119.743, 131.84064, 0RA: 0° · Dec: 0° · meridian: 0.004°
Term 12 · angle coefficients: 239.961, 6003.1503825, 0RA: 0° · Dec: 0° · meridian: 0.0019°
Term 13 · angle coefficients: 25.053, 473327.79642, 0RA: 0.0043° · Dec: -0.0009° · meridian: -0.0044°

Identity & availability

Stable catalog ID: moon
JPL / NAIF satellite ID: 301
Names & designations: Moon
Discovery / rediscovery years: Not specified by these sources

No validated dated trajectory admitted in catalog 1.0.0. Mean elements are not ephemerides.

No image or global texture admitted in this catalog release.No environment measurements admitted in this catalog release.

Earth’s Moon is omitted by the JPL discovery roster; identity is supplied by the mean-element and physical tables.

Sources & evidence

JPL mean orbital elements#sat_elem row ID=0; Earth / Moon / NAIF 301
JPL physical parameters#sat_phys_par; Earth / Moon / NAIF 301; mean radius · References: 1
JPL physical parameters#sat_phys_par; Earth / Moon / NAIF 301; GM · References: DE440
NIST CODATA 2022Table of universal constants, Newtonian constant of gravitationVerified numeric transcription; see acquisition notes in the download.
JPL physical parameters#sat_phys_par; Earth / Moon / NAIF 301; density · References: *
JPL mean orbital elements#sat_elem row ID=0; Earth / Moon / NAIF 301 · References: n/a
NAIF PCK 00011BODY301_POLE_RA/POLE_DEC/PM/NUT_PREC_*; BODY3_NUT_PREC_ANGLES; active data blocks
NAIF PCK 00011BODY301_RADII; active data block

Full catalog, uncertainty and source manifests · All Earth moons · Moon model limits