Moon telescope may unveil secrets of the "Cosmic Dark Ages"

NASA is considering deploying a radio telescope on the far side of the moon to detect faint radio waves emitted by hydrogen atoms during the "Cosmic Dark Ages," a period when the universe was filled with hydrogen gas and no visible or infrared light could escape. The agency is currently working on a small instrument called LuSEE-Night to test the feasibility of a moon telescope, and is also funding the development of larger lunar telescopes, including the FarView Observatory and the Lunar Crater Radio Telescope. However, concerns about radio interference from other lunar missions have led astronomers to urge the United Nations to protect part of the moon's far side as an internationally protected area.