So let me begin,
I am The Moon (Latin: Luna).
I am the Earth's only natural satellite and the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System. I live about 384,403 km away from you, on Earth! I make a complete orbit around the Earth every 27.3 days, this is called my "orbital period". The periodic variations in the geometry of the Earth–Moon– and the Sun system are responsible for the 'lunar phases' that repeat every 29.5 days.I am much smaller then your planet, Earth. I am about a quarter of the Earth's diameter which is 3,474 kms. Therefore my surface area is less then 1/10th of the Earth!
I am the only celestial body to which humans, like you have traveled and upon which humans have performed a manned landing. The first artificial object to pass near me was the 'Soviet Union's Luna 1, the first artificial object to impact my surface was Luna 2 and the first photographs of the "far side of me" ("the far side of the Moon") were made by Luna 3 all in 1959!
The first space craft to perform a successful landing on my was Luna 9, and the first unmanned vehicle to orbit the Moon was Luna 10, both in 1966!
The Unite States Apollo program achieved the only manned mission to date, resulting in six landings and visit to me between 1969 and 1972
Human explorate of me ceased with the conclusion of the Apollo program, although a few robotic landers and orbiters have been sent to visit me since then. I liked it more when humans visited me!
I have heard talk that several countries have announced plans to return humans to the surface of the Moon in the 2020's. I can't wait!
