Our moon may have once had a smaller ‘twin’, according to scientists (Picture: Getty)

Earth may once have had two moons before one was destroyed in a collision, scientists claim.

Our moon’s smaller ‘twin’ lasted for only a few million years before it hit our planet’s natural satellite, it was claimed.

Professor Erik Asphaug, from the University of California, will unveil his ‘double moon’ theory at a Royal Society conference in September.

‘The second moon would have lasted for only a few million years; then it would have collided with the moon to leave the one large body we see today,’ he said.


Earth had two moons before one was destroyed in a collision, it was claimed (Picture: PA)

‘It would have orbited Earth at the same speed and distance and just got slowly sucked in until they hit and then coalesced.’



Landscapes on the moon are the remains of the smaller moon from the collision, Prof Asphaug told the Sunday Times.

Some scientists believe that the inner solar system at one time may have had up to 20 planet-sized bodies which collided into each other until only eight remained.