Why can't you see the far side of the Moon?
From Earth, you can only see one side of the Moon. This side is termed the near side of the Moon. Is it thought that long ago when the Moon was still in formation, the Earth's gravity slowed the Moon's spin. The Moon now rotates once as it orbits the Earth, allowing for the same side to always face the Earth so that the far side remains a mystery to any Earth-bound observer.
Many people speculated that there were strange mysteries on the far side of the Moon (black monoliths maybe?). In 1959, Russia's spacecraft Luna 3 left the Earth and headed to the Moon. It returned the first picture of the far side. Then in 1968 on Christmas eve, three men, Borman, Lovell, and Anders saw the far side of the moon with their own eyes as their Apollo 8 spacecraft circumnavigated the Moon.
Anders was a bit disappointed with what he saw that Christmas eve. His description of the far side of the Moon was that it was the color of dirty beach sand and that the landscape was of unrelenting sameness - crater upon crater, hill upon battered hill.
Submitted by Matthew (Georgia, USA)
(October 1, 1997)
You might also be interested in:
With increased confidence from the success of their Sputnik missions, the Soviet Union launched 24 Luna spacecrafts to the Moon, between 1959 and 1976. 15 were successful, each designed as either an orbiter
...more
It depends on what kind of motion you are talking about. When seen from the north pole of the celestial sphere all planets orbit around the Sun in a counter-clockwise or direct path. Most planets also
...more
Almost everyone has a question or two about living in space. What do astronauts do in space? How do they do everyday things like eat, sleep and go to the bathroom? Well, this is our attempt to answer
...more
There is a really neat internet program called Solar System Live that shows the position of all of the planets and the Sun for any given day. If you go to that page, you'll see an image similar to the
...more
The picture of the American Flag (the one put there by the Apollo astronauts) is waving (or straight out) in the wind. How could that be possible if there is no atmosphere on the Moon? Was it some sort
...more
I was wondering if there is a new planet? Are there planets (a tenth planet?) after Pluto belonging to our solar system? What are the names of the new planets discovered in the solar system? Are there
...more
If that is so, the energy released during the Big Bang must have created many such black holes. Therefore most of the Energy of the Big bang must have disappeared in that form. Then how did the Universe
...more
