Albedo

Albedo runs from 0 (a perfect absorber) to 1 (a perfect reflector). It is the single number that decides how bright an airless body looks at a given distance.

The Moon’s average geometric albedo is about 0.12 — roughly that of worn asphalt. The lunar maria are darker still, near 0.07, while fresh crater ejecta can exceed 0.20. The Moon appears brilliant only because it is close and seen against a black sky.