The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Spacecraft used an altimeter to survey the topography of the Moon’s surface. The different colors, in the image, indicate the height of the crater features. The detailed image of the the Moon reveals that there are lots of large impact crater sites.
News release: NASA/LRO/LOLA Spacecraft surveys Moon craters with altimeter
Man has always been curious about the features on the other side of the Moon; since the same side of the Moon always faces the Earth. The other side of the Moon, often referred to as the dark side, actually receives a lot of sunshine. There are many descriptions of the other side of the lunar surface including: same side, far side, dark side, back side, and near side. Man has always been curious about what was on the other side of the moon.
The term “same side” is used to describe the condition where the same side of the Moon always faces the Earth. We view the different phases of the Moon during a one month period.
The term “far side” of the Moon describes that part of the Moon that we cannot see from the Earth. Several previous spacecraft have taken images of that lunar surface. But the LRO survey yields new topographical information (crater peak height to crater basin height).
The term “dark side” is only correct when describing part of the Moon’s orbit. If the full moon phase is visible from Earth, then the far side of the Moon is dark. If the Moon is showing a thin crescent then the other side is illuminated by sunlight.
In a lunar eclipse the Moon passes into the shadow behind the Earth, and no sunlight shines directly on the Moon. A lunar eclipse is predicted to occur on 21 December 2010. The “back side” will be dark, and the “near side” will be faintly illuminated by scattered sunlight. The sunlight is scattered by the Earth’s atmosphere as it passes the Earth.
In a solar eclipse the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth. The part of the Moon that is facing the Earth is darkened. The far side of the Moon is now facing the Sun, and it is fully illuminated.
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