The far side of the Moon has been extensively studied in recent years. Recently, the Chinese mission Chang’e-6 returned to our planet with lunar samples collected in a basin in the region, which will be extensively analyzed over the next few months or even years.
There is only one side of the Moon that is visible to those on Earth; the other side is called the hidden side because it always faces away from the planet. But that is not the only reason why there is a certain mystery surrounding the subject. The place also has a different geological surface, with many craters and a small number of basaltic plains (seas).
In addition to being a region that is difficult to observe by nature, it has also been explored very few times by humanity. The first time that civilization landed an unmanned probe in that area occurred in 2019, during the mission Chang’e-4 . The second time occurred with the landing of the Chang’e-6 lunar module this year.
What is the dark side of the Moon?
Mirian Castejon, an astronomer at the Ibirapuera Planetarium in São Paulo, explains that the far side of the Moon is always out of sight from Earth because the natural satellite takes the same amount of time to rotate around its axis as it does around the Earth. In other words, this region is not visible due to the Moon’s orbital behavior in relation to our planet, a phenomenon called synchronous movement .
As a result of this synchronicity, observers on Earth can only see the Moon with one side “frozen” and apparently without rotation. It is precisely this influence between the satellite and our planet that causes the peculiar characteristic, but scientists are still trying to understand why this lunar spot is so different.
The first time the dark side of the moon was properly observed occurred in mid-1959, after the Russian spacecraft Luna 3 photographed the region. Although it is also popularly known as the “dark side of the Moon”, Castejon states that the expression is not correct, as the Sun illuminates the entire Moon.
One of the big differences on the far side of the Moon is the large number of craters. People generally believe that this is because this side is more exposed to impacts from rocks arriving from space, but all sides of the satellite are impacted in the same way.
Current data suggest that the far side has a much thicker crust, a feature that may have prevented the volcanic activity covered the craters with basaltic lava. Perhaps that is why this part of the lunar surface has so many craters.
“Both China and the United States intend to send manned missions to the Moon in the near future. The idea is to study our satellite with the aim of building a fixed base on the Moon. Understanding the geology and the best places to establish a base is of fundamental interest to these agencies. In addition, researchers are eager to study the material brought back from the Chinese Chang’e-6 mission, as it will be the first time they will have access to samples from the far side of the Moon,” Castejon explained to CNN .
Learn more about the Chang’e 6 Mission
On June 1, 2024, the Chang’e-6 lunar probe landed on the far side of the moon, and China became the first country to display its national flag there — the launch took place on May 3. The vehicle landed (made a lunar landing) in the South Pole-Aitken Basin, where it collected samples from the surface of the satellite with the help of a drill and a robotic arm. It was the second time that the Chinese had landed on the site.
After the module returned to a base in northern Mongolia, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced that the mission was a complete success. On June 28, the samples were returned to the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and for the first time, scientists will be able to analyze rocks collected from the far side of the Moon.
The samples will be analyzed by Chinese scientists, but will also be sent to laboratories of other researchers from different parts of the world. The Chang’e-6 team says that the samples may differ from those collected in the visible region of the Moon, as they appear to be stickier and thicker. The researchers’ goal is to understand the evolution of the Moon and other objects on the Solar system like the Earth itself.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping described the occasion as a key milestone for the country, but stressed that it is not the end of lunar exploration efforts. By 2030, the CNSA plans to send a manned mission to the moon, with the aim of building a lunar base.
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Source: CNN Brasil
Charles Grill is a tech-savvy writer with over 3 years of experience in the field. He writes on a variety of technology-related topics and has a strong focus on the latest advancements in the industry. He is connected with several online news websites and is currently contributing to a technology-focused platform.
