Explanation: Does this moon look familiar? Possibly not, even though it is Earth's Moon. Locked in synchronous rotation, the Moon always presents its well-known near side to Earth. But from lunar orbit, Apollo astronauts also grew to know the Moon's far side. This sharp picture from Apollo 16's mapping camera shows the eastern edge of the familiar near side (top) and the strange and heavily cratered far side of the Moon. Surprisingly, the rough and battered surface of the far side looks very different from the near side which is covered with smooth dark lunar maria. The likely explanation is that the far side crust is thicker, making it harder for molten material from the interior to flow to the surface and form the smooth maria.

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Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.

Publikacii s klyuchevymi slovami: Moon - Apollo 16 - Luna - Apollon Publikacii so slovami: Moon - Apollo 16 - Luna - Apollon
Sm. takzhe: Vrashayushayasya Luna ot "Lunnogo orbital'nogo razvedchika" Lunnaya korona nad Parizhem Kometa, planeta, Luna Lunnoe π i ten' gory "Odissei" na Lune "Odissei" i radioteleskop Na Lunu Vse publikacii na tu zhe temu >>