The moon appears less bright than the sun due to its surface composition. The moon's surface reflects only about 10-12% of the sunlight that hits it, while the sun's surface reflects about 92% of the sunlight it produces. Additionally, the moon does not produce any light of its own, whereas the sun is a powerful source of light. Lastly, the sun is much larger and more intense than the moon, which also contributes to its brightness in comparison.