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NASA Provides Image Of The Side Of The Moon We Never See From Home
NASA Provides Image Of The Side Of The Moon We Never See From Home
There’s a mystique and allure to the pictures of the moon that captivate people of all ages and backgrounds. Unlike other celestial bodies, the moon is truly a visual treat to watch and has fascinated humanity for ages. Yet again, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) took to their official Instagram handle and shared a never-seen-before picture of the moon, which has wowed viewers online.
Describing the incredible image, NASA wrote that the round, grey disc of the Moon is pockmarked with craters of all sizes across its surface. This mosaic of the moon’s far side is made up of 15,000 images taken by our Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter between November 2009 and February 2011.
Posting the image, NASA shared details of the distinct characteristics of the far side of the moon. The space agency wrote, “It’s the side of the moon we never see from home: the far side. Often incorrectly called the “dark side” of the moon—incorrect because it receives equal amounts of sunlight as the near side does—the moon’s far side has stark characteristics.”
“To start, it’s more heavily cratered and has fewer Maria, or large, dark basaltic plains created by early volcanic eruptions. They are called ‘Maria’ because that’s the Latin word for seas. Early astronomers thought the dark areas were oceans.”
“So why can’t we see it from Earth? The same side of the Moon always faces us because the Moon is tidally locked to our planet. That means the Moon’s orbital period is the same duration as its spin around its axis. It takes a whole month on Earth for the Moon to turn once,” the space agency concluded.
Have a look at the captivating picture of the moon:
The Instagram post went viral within hours of being posted. In just a day, it has amassed more than 4.1 million likes and an influx of reactions from the internet community. Social media users were awe-struck to see the image, and many dubbed it ‘incredible.’
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Final Thought
NASA’s stunning mosaic of 15,000 photos that revealed the moon’s far side recently captured our attention and deepened our understanding of our planetary friend. This thorough look into the moon’s lesser-known side debunks myths about its “dark side” and emphasizes the distinct geological characteristics that set it apart from the side that is visible to us. NASA is promoting amazement and curiosity about the world we live in by releasing this amazing photograph and bridging the gap between us and the immense cosmos.
