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We can't see the far side of the moon from Earth because the two bodies are tidally locked. NASA's Deep Space Climate Observatory has captured a series of pictures as the moon passed in front of the sunlit side of Earth and will keep doing so about twice a year:
The images, taken on 16 July, show the moon moving across the Pacific Ocean towards North America. Its far side is shown in detail owing to sunlight hitting it, revealing a crater and a large plain called the Mare Moscoviense.
[...] Associate Professor Michael Brown, an astronomer at Monash University, said the images of the far side of the moon were "captivating".
"It's unusual because you need a spacecraft that has gone beyond the moon to get a picture of the moon like this," he said. "This was taken around one million miles from Earth. We don't normally get that perspective."
(Score: 2) by Tork on Saturday August 08 2015, @04:21AM
🏳️🌈 Proud Ally 🏳️🌈
(Score: 2) by Nuke on Saturday August 08 2015, @02:06PM
Didja notice the word just before 'dark'?
Yes, the word was "illuminated". Stupid, isn't it.
"There is an unfortunate tendency to call the far side of the Moon the "dark" side of the Moon. This is obviously an error; it is probably related to the unconcious feeling of some people that the Earth, if not at the center of the Universe, is at least the source of all light." - Carl Sagan
(Score: 2) by Tork on Saturday August 08 2015, @02:25PM
🏳️🌈 Proud Ally 🏳️🌈