The Moon is the Earth’s natural satellite and the closest celestial body to us, about 384,000 kilometres away. It is made of rock, has no air or liquid water, and does not make its own light but shines by reflecting sunlight. The Moon’s diameter is about 3,500 kilometres, and it moves around the Earth in an orbit, taking about 29.5 days to complete one revolution and one rotation, which is why we always see the same side. This period is called a lunar month. As it orbits the Earth, we see different shapes of its sunlit side, known as the phases of the Moon — including the crescent moon, first quarter, and full moon (locally called “Badar” in Pakistan). This change in appearance is called the ebb and flow of the Moon. The Moon’s gravity also causes tides on Earth, creating high tide when the pull is strongest and low tide when the pull is weaker.