The first popular book to explain the dramatic theory behind the Moon's genesis This lively science history relates one of the great recent breakthroughs in planetary astronomy-a successful theory of the birth of the Moon. Science journalist Dana Mackenzie traces the evolution of this theory, one little known outside the scientific community: a Mars-sized object collided with Earth some four billion years ago, and the remains of this colossal explosion-the Big Splat-came together to form the Moon. Beginning with notions of the Moon in ancient cosmologies, Mackenzie relates the fascinating history of lunar speculation, moving from Galileo and Kepler to George Darwin (son of Charles) and the Apollo astronauts, whose trips to the lunar surface helped solve one of the most enigmatic mysteries of the night sky: who hung the Moon? Dana Mackenzie (Santa Cruz, CA) is a freelance science journalist. His articles have appeared in such magazines as Science, Discover, American Scientist, The Sciences, and New Scientist. *Starred Review* Mackenzie prefaces his absorbing account of the new "giant impact" theory of the moon's origin with the fascinating story of humanity's long relationship with Earth's only natural satellite. Evidence of that relationship begins with what is very probably a lunar calendar among the famous Lascaux cave paintings, and continues in early civilizations' timekeeping uses of the moon and classical Greek ideas about the moon's composition. In the fifth century B.C.E., Anaxagoras correctly realized that the moon was made of rock. Later, Aristotle didn't agree, and his view held sway for centuries. During the Renaissance and the Enlightenment, Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo, Newton, Kant, Buffon, and Laplace vastly expanded knowledge and theory about the moon-Earth relationship. Charles Darwin's son George (1845-1912) performed prodigies of calculation to argue that the moon "fissioned" from Earth. American crank T. J. J. See and modest Frenchman Edouard Roche pioneered, respectively, two other lunar-origin theories: See, that Earth "captured" the moon when it passed close by; Roche, that Earth and the moon "coaccreted" in the same part of the solar system. The findings of the Apollo expeditions and the enormous mathematical calculations facilitated by computers helped put forth astronomer and artist William Hartmann's idea that a near-Mars-size planet smashing into Earth produced the moon. Mackenzie is a popular-science ace--magnetically readable, preternaturally clear, amazingly concise. Consider this the popular moon-science book of our times. Ray Olson Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved * "...Dana Mackenzie?reveals the truth..." ( The Mail on Sunday , 30 March 2003) "...this is a most useful and interesting book..." ( New Scientist , 7 June 2003) "A most useful and interesting book." (Patrick Moore in New Scientist ) "...an absorbing and informative account of the quest to explain the genesis of the moon..." ( Astronomy & Space , June 2003) "...fascinating! For everyone with even the slightest interest in astronomy?an insightful and entertaining read..." ( M2 Best Books , 14 July 2003) "Besides telling an interesting tale well and elucidating how science progresses, Mackenzie's book emphasizes the fact that impacts have been the primary creative and destructive process throughout the history of the Solar System." ( NATURE ) " The Big Splat is a superb exploration of an important chapter in the history of Earth and its satellite. Every Moon-buff will want a copy." ( Astronomy ) "...a comprehensive travelogue of lunar nativities throughout history..." ( Astronomy Now , March 2004) Ace science writer Mackenzie's account of humanity's long relationship with Earth's only natural satellite, from a probable lunar calendar found in the Lascaux caves to the new "giant impact" theory of the moon's origin, is magnetically readable, preternaturally clear, and amazingly concise. — Booklist Editors' Choice '03 Where did the Moon come from? It’s a question even a child can ask, but until recently scientists could not agree on an answer. Some proposed that the Moon ripped itself loose from a rapidly spinning Earth, perhaps leaving behind a scar later filled in by the Pacific Ocean. Others theorized that it wandered in from some other place in the solar system or even beyond, and was captured by Earth’s gravity. Or, perhaps, the Moon simply formed in tandem with Earth, out of the same cloud of cosmic gas and dust. Yet none of these theories could be reconciled with the hard evidence gathered by the Apollo astronauts. For the first time, this book relates for a general audience how lunar scientists arrived at a theory of the Moon’s birth that fits all the available facts. Travel backwards in time with science journalist Dana Mackenzie, from the slopes where the astronauts collected their Moon rocks to the ocean of magma from which those rocks crystallized and finally all the