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Whose spacecraft first observed the far side of the Moon?

Quick Answer

The Soviet Luna 3 spacecraft took the first pictures of the Moon’s far side in 1959. Those images revealed a very different lunar terrain from the side seen from Earth.

The Full Story

Luna 3, launched by the Soviet Union, flew around the Moon in October 1959 and transmitted the first photographs of its far side. This was a historic first because the far side had never been seen from Earth. The pictures showed that the far side has far fewer maria than the near side, a difference that still puzzles scientists. Luna 3 opened a completely new chapter in lunar mapping.

Key Facts

1.Luna 3 photographed the Moon’s far side in 1959
2.It was a Soviet spacecraft
3.The far side has fewer lunar maria than the near side

YouTube Angle

Suggested video title for this topic:

"The first look at the Moon’s hidden half"

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