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Astronomy Picture of the Day - Lunar Farside
NASA ^ | 10 Oct. 2026 | Credit: NASA / GSFC / Arizona State Univ. / Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

Posted on 10/10/2026 11:06:29 AM PDT by MtnClimber

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. A 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 dark, smooth maria.


TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; nasa

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For more detail go to the link and click on the image for a high definition image. You can then move the magnifying glass cursor then click to zoom in and click again to zoom out. When zoomed in you can scan by moving the side bars on the bottom and right side of the image.

1 posted on 10/10/2026 11:06:29 AM PDT by MtnClimber
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To: MtnClimber

2 posted on 10/10/2026 11:06:58 AM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: 21stCenturion; 21twelve; 31R1O; 4everontheRight; A Navy Vet; A_perfect_lady; abb; AFB-XYZ; ...
Pinging the APOD list

🪐 🌟 🌌 🍔

3 posted on 10/10/2026 11:08:03 AM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

Imagine what those hits would have looked like if they hit Earth.


4 posted on 10/10/2026 11:09:21 AM PDT by SkyDancer ( ~ Am Yisrael Chai ~)
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5 posted on 10/10/2026 11:12:22 AM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber
...the highest resolution version shows features at a scale of 100 meters per pixel

You're not gonna find the secret Nazi base that way.

6 posted on 10/10/2026 11:18:02 AM PDT by Billthedrill
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To: Billthedrill

How large is a pixel?


7 posted on 10/10/2026 11:23:26 AM PDT by ComputerGuy
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To: MtnClimber

Wow.


8 posted on 10/10/2026 11:24:04 AM PDT by No name given ( Anonymous is who you’ll know me as )
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To: MtnClimber

9 posted on 10/10/2026 11:27:02 AM PDT by DFG
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To: Billthedrill

Post 5 is where the astronauts found the alien Mt Rushmore.


10 posted on 10/10/2026 11:27:14 AM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

Glad we ended up locked in with the more interesting looking side.


11 posted on 10/10/2026 11:33:45 AM PDT by simpson96
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To: MtnClimber

Bumpy….


12 posted on 10/10/2026 1:01:00 PM PDT by telescope115 (Ad Astra, Ad Deum…)
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To: MtnClimber

Bumpy….


13 posted on 10/10/2026 1:01:00 PM PDT by telescope115 (Ad Astra, Ad Deum…)
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To: MtnClimber

14 posted on 10/10/2026 1:12:55 PM PDT by Menehune56 ("Let them hate so long as they fear" (Oderint Dum Metuant), Lucius Accius (170 BC - 86 BC)
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To: MtnClimber

The Soviet Union took pictures of the far side first. They used American film to do it. It was the same film from the American balloons they shot down floating over their territory .


15 posted on 10/10/2026 1:13:58 PM PDT by Nateman (Democrats did not strive for fraud friendly voting merely to continue honest elections.)
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