Does the moon have gravity?

Yes, the moon has gravity, but much less than the earth. The earth has six times more gravity than the moon.

So, if you jump on the moon you will go as high as a house or as long as a bus.

Watch how far this astonaut jumps in each hop.

When you jump it also takes a lot longer to come back down - long enough to salute and have your picture taken!

Astronaut jumping for a photo.

Why is it so much less?

Everything has gravity - even you!

But the heavier something is, the more gravity it has. You are small compared to the earth, so you have very little gravity. Although the moon is bigger than you, it is still smaller than the earth so it has less gravity.

The moon compared to the earth

How do we know the moon has gravity?

If you swirl the water in your bath, the water moves but the bath stays where it is. The moon's gravity is like your hand, it pulls the oceans but the earth stays where it is.

We can see this when we go to the beach. As the moon orbits the earth, its gravity sometimes pulls the sea right to the top of the beach; and sometimes right to the bottom of the beach.

These are called tides.

If we go camping on the beach, we have to be careful where we pitch our tent. The moon might pull the sea's water so high, that it floods our tent!

Some people have even lost their cars!

Car on beach at high tide