Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Lunar Farside

NASA ^ | April 05, 2014 | (see photo credit)

[SunkenCiv]

Explanation: Tidally locked in synchronous rotation, the Moon always presents its familiar nearside to denizens of planet Earth. From lunar orbit, the Moon's farside can become familiar, though. In fact this sharp picture, a mosaic from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter's wide angle camera, is centered on the lunar farside. Part of a global mosaic of over 15,000 images acquired between November 2009 and February 2011, the highest resolution version shows features at a scale of 100 meters per pixel. Surprisingly, the rough and battered surface of the farside looks very different from the nearside covered with smooth dark lunar maria. The likely explanation is that the farside crust is thicker, making it harder for molten material from the interior to flow to the surface and form the smooth maria.

[SunkenCiv]

That’s no moon...

[TheOldLady]

Nice little ping there, Mr. Civilizations. Thank you.

My first thought was that it is far different from the side that faces Earth.

It is an interesting theory that the far side has a thicker crust which minimizes eruptions
and prevents large, smooth maria.

Perhaps the outward-facing side would also get more hits from wandering space rocks.
It certainly looks more pock marked than the Giant Rabbit/Man in the Moon side.

[fieldmarshaldj]

And really, who doesn’t like a smooth Maria ?

[<1/1,000,000th%]

LOL!