From collision to the creation of Moon: The enchanting love story of planet Theia and Earth

We have definitely read many romantic quotes and comparisons about the moon in literature, but how many of us are aware of how our moon was formed? There are a couple of hypotheses and predictions about the moon's formation. One of the most famous and romantic is that Earth collided with a planet, and together, from their debris, the moon emerged. Sounds romantic, isn't it?

It is believed that around 4 billion years ago, when the universe was much younger, a Mars-sized planet nicknamed Theia struck the then-baby Earth.

The collision is thought to have been so powerful that Theia left some of its debris on Earth, and its other substances, together with Earth's, formed the moon.

As time passed, Earth's gravitational force pulled the debris of Theia, forming the moon. Before the existence of the Moon, Earth was in what is referred to as the Hadean Eon, implying the brutal and hellish conditions of the planet.

The surface of Earth was intensely hot, and the crust constantly reformed due to the heat. The planet's atmosphere was thick, and oxygen was virtually absent.

Its atmosphere was mainly composed of hydrogen, helium, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, water vapour, and other volcanic gases.

Water existed only as vapour in the atmosphere due to the surface's extreme heat. There was no solid surface, and as a result, no oceans on the planet. The length of a day was also much shorter than it is now.

The formation of the moon seems to solve many of Earth's problems. The Earth seems to cool off and have a stabilized axial tilt. The moon's presence helps maintain the seasons on Earth. It also played a crucial role in modifying Earth's climate, which resulted in a stable condition for Earth to support the development of life.

The Earth began to slow down due to the moon's gravity and its forces. This slower rotation led to the lengthening of the day to 24 hours. The moon's gravitational pull causes Earth's ocean tides, and it has several beneficial impacts on supporting marine life.

Tides regulate minerals throughout the oceans. The revolutionary collision of the Earth and Theia also contributed to crafting a solid inner core with a liquid outer core. This helps generate the magnetic field, protecting Earth from harmful solar and cosmic radiation. 

Beyond these impacts, the moon has also been a source of inspiration and art throughout history. The moon's phases are observed to create calendars and aid in navigation.

In the history of the universe, the tale of Theia and Earth stands out as one of the most romantic and enchanting ones. It's like their love bore a sweet fruit, and that is of emergence. From a destructive encounter to their union creating an environment crucial for life to thrive on our planet, this celestial love story will always be as fascinating as a romantic novel.

Romance has existed throughout the history of creation, and as we can see, it has even prevailed in faraway space. When we look at the moon, we are not only gazing at a satellite—we're witnessing the cosmic romance that changed the course of Earth's and human history.

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