The Dark Side

by: Simon Tang

Is this a planet? Mercury perhaps? Or is it one of the many moons of Jupiter? A heavily cratered celestial body floating in the sky.

You would actually be suprised to know that this is actually our Moon. This is the side that very few people have seen with their own eyes. The side of the Moon we see has the infamous Man on the Moon.

Interestingly, the side we see doesn't have as many craters as the other side as any asteroid wandering too close to our planet is more likely to strike us than it is the moon. However, the dark side of the moon tells a completely different story.

The dark side of the Moon also features one of the largest craters in the solar system. The Aitken Basin.

The reason we only see one side of the Moon is because it is in synchronous rotation with the Earth.

So the next time you look up at the sky, don't ignore that big bright object. Planets, Nebula and galaxies are tempting targets but the Moon needs some love as well.