All articles tagged with #far side
A new analysis of dust from the Moon’s far side collected by China’s Chang’e-6 mission finds heavier potassium isotopes than near-side samples, suggesting the South Pole–Aitken impact heated the Moon so intensely that lighter isotopes vaporized and escaped, reshaping the Moon’s mantle and leaving long-lasting hemispheric chemical differences and possibly triggering deep interior processes.
NASA shared a rare image of the 'far side' of the Moon on Instagram, along with details of its distinct characteristics, explaining that it's often incorrectly called the 'dark side' as it receives equal sunlight. The post went viral, garnering over 1.6 million likes and numerous comments, with netizens expressing awe and amazement at the incredible image.
The Korean Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter, Danuri, has revealed an intriguing discrepancy in the conductivity between the near and far sides of the Moon. The far side appears to be more conductive, which scientists have yet to explain. The orbiter has also discovered widespread magnetic fields on the far side, indicating greater conductivity deep within the Moon. Possible explanations include higher temperatures or more water under the surface on the far side. The mission has been extended until December 2025 but will face challenges during lunar eclipses that may strain its batteries.
China plans to launch its Chang'e 6 mission in May 2024, which will attempt to collect the first samples from the far side of the moon. The mission will last 53 days and seek to collect up to 4.4 pounds of lunar materials using a scoop and a drill. The primary target landing site is reported to be around 43 degrees south latitude and 154 degrees west longitude on the far side of the moon. The mission will be even more challenging as the far side of the moon never faces Earth and cannot be seen directly.