A mosaic from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter reveals the distinct, rugged surface of the Moon's farside.
Key facts
- •The Moon is tidally locked, meaning it always presents the same side to Earth.
- •The mosaic was created using more than 15,000 images from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.
- •Data for the mosaic was collected between November 2009 and February 2011.
- •The farside surface is notably rougher than the nearside.
- •A thicker crust on the farside is believed to have limited the formation of dark lunar maria.
NASA has released a high-resolution mosaic of the Moon's farside, captured by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. While the Moon is tidally locked and only shows its nearside to Earth, this image provides a detailed view of the lunar farside's unique topography.
By the numbers
Imaging the Farside
The image is part of a global mosaic compiled from over 15,000 individual photographs taken by the orbiter's wide-angle camera. These images were acquired between November 2009 and February 2011, with the highest resolution versions displaying features at a scale of 100 meters per pixel.
Geological Differences
The lunar farside appears significantly different from the nearside, which is characterized by smooth, dark lunar maria. Astronomers suggest that the farside's crust is thicker, which likely prevented molten material from the interior from reaching the surface to form similar smooth plains.
Timeline
- November 2009The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter began acquiring the images used for the mosaic.
- February 2011The final images for the global mosaic were acquired.
- October 10, 2026NASA featured the mosaic as the Astronomy Picture of the Day.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by NASA Breaking News.
