Which of the following statements about the moon is NOT true?

The statement that the moon has a significant atmosphere is not true. The moon has an extremely thin atmosphere, known as an exosphere, which is not capable of supporting human life or weather systems like those found on Earth. It contains trace amounts of gases such as hydrogen, helium, and neon, but the density of the atmosphere is so low that it cannot hold heat or provide the means for weather phenomena.

In contrast, the other statements are accurate: the moon is indeed slowly moving away from the Earth at a rate of about 3.8 centimeters per year, it plays a crucial role in influencing ocean tides on Earth through its gravitational pull, and it has been visited by astronauts, notably during the Apollo missions, starting with Apollo 11 in 1969.