How Much Would I Weigh on the Moon?

About Lunar Gravity

The Moon's surface gravity is just 1.62 m/s², about 17% of Earth's 9.81 m/s². This means everything on the Moon weighs roughly one-sixth of what it does on Earth. The Moon has about 1.2% of Earth's mass and 27% of Earth's diameter — far less mass crammed into a much smaller sphere, which results in that dramatically lower gravitational pull.

During the Apollo missions (1969-1972), astronauts experienced this low gravity firsthand. Despite wearing spacesuits that weighed around 180 pounds on Earth, the suits weighed only about 30 pounds on the Moon. Astronauts found that a loping, bouncing gait worked better than normal walking — watching footage of the moonwalks, you can see them almost skipping across the surface. Alan Shepard even hit a golf ball during Apollo 14 and claimed it traveled "miles and miles" (likely about 200-400 yards, still impressive).

Low gravity also means things fall more slowly on the Moon. A dropped object takes about 2.5 times longer to reach the ground compared to Earth. During Apollo 15, astronaut David Scott famously demonstrated this by dropping a hammer and a feather simultaneously — with no air resistance on the Moon, both hit the ground at exactly the same time, perfectly confirming Galileo's theory.

Fun Moon Facts

• The Moon is slowly moving away from Earth at a rate of about 3.8 cm (1.5 inches) per year. Billions of years ago, it was much closer, making it appear far larger in the sky.
• The Moon's far side (sometimes incorrectly called the "dark side") actually gets just as much sunlight as the near side. We just never see it from Earth because the Moon is tidally locked, always showing us the same face.
• There is water ice hidden in permanently shadowed craters near the Moon's poles. NASA's Artemis missions plan to investigate these deposits as a potential resource for future lunar bases.
• The Moon has moonquakes. Seismometers left by Apollo astronauts detected thousands of small quakes, some caused by tidal forces from Earth's gravity and some by meteorite impacts.
• A person who can jump 0.5 meters (about 20 inches) on Earth could jump roughly 3 meters (nearly 10 feet) on the Moon — high enough to dunk a basketball on a regulation hoop with room to spare.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much would a 200-pound person weigh on the Moon?

A 200-pound person would weigh about 34 pounds on the Moon. The Moon's surface gravity is only 1.62 m/s², which is roughly 17% of Earth's 9.81 m/s². To find your Moon weight, simply multiply your Earth weight by 0.17. This calculation applies to any unit — if you weigh 90 kg on Earth, you'd weigh about 15.3 kg on the Moon.

Why could Apollo astronauts jump so high on the Moon?

Apollo astronauts could jump higher on the Moon because the gravitational pull is only one-sixth of Earth's. Even while wearing spacesuits that weighed about 180 pounds on Earth (but only 30 pounds on the Moon), astronauts could hop and bounce with ease. The lower gravity meant their muscles — designed for Earth's gravity — were overpowered for the Moon, letting them leap much higher than they could at home.

Does the Moon have enough gravity for humans to live there?

The Moon's gravity (0.17g) is enough to keep people and objects on the surface, but it may not be enough for long-term human health. Scientists worry that such low gravity could accelerate bone loss and muscle wasting beyond what exercise can counteract. NASA's Artemis program aims to establish a sustained lunar presence, which will provide crucial data on how the human body adapts to one-sixth gravity over weeks and months.