The Moon has earthquakes, and they are called "moonquakes"
Even though the Moon looks quiet, its ground can shake just like Earth! Some of these moonquakes can last for a surprisingly long time.
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Last updated: February 3, 2026 at 12:14 PMEven though the Moon looks quiet, its ground can shake just like Earth! Some of these moonquakes can last for a surprisingly long time.
On Earth, we have earthquakes caused by moving tectonic plates. But did you know the Moon shakes too? Astronauts from the Apollo missions placed sensors on the lunar surface, and they discovered that the Moon is surprisingly active.
Unlike Earth, the Moon doesn't have tectonic plates. Instead, moonquakes happen for different reasons. Some are caused by the Earth’s gravity pulling on the Moon (like how the Moon pulls our tides). Others happen because the Moon is actually shrinking as it cools down, causing its surface to wrinkle and crack like a drying raisin!
A big difference between earthquakes and moonquakes is how long they last. On Earth, most quakes end in less than a minute. But because the Moon is very dry and rigid, it vibrates like a giant tuning fork or a bell. A moonquake can keep "ringing" and shaking for over 10 minutes, or even up to an hour!
Most moonquakes are very deep underground and quite weak. However, there are shallow quakes that happen near the surface. These can be strong enough to crack the walls of a future Moon base. Scientists are studying these quakes right now to make sure that when humans go back to live on the Moon, they build houses that won't fall down!
Moonquakes are vibrations on the Moon's surface. They are caused by Earth's gravity or the Moon shrinking as it cools. Because the Moon is so dry, it shakes for a much longer time than Earth - sometimes for over an hour.