The Moon is a terrestrial planet with a solid surface and is composed mainly of rocky materials such as basalt and anorthosite. Its surface is heavily cratered, dotted with large impact basins, and covered in a layer of fine-grained dust called regolith. The Moon also has several large mountain ranges and valleys, as well as vast plains known as maria. The Moon’s interior is thought to be composed of a small metallic core, a partially molten mantle, and a crust made of solid rock. The formation of the Moon is still a subject of scientific inquiry, but most current theories suggest that it was created by a giant impact event involving the Earth and a Mars-sized body.