Why is the far side of the Moon so different from the near side?
Quick Answer
The Moon’s far side has a much thicker crust and far fewer lava plains, likely because of early thermal differences and the way the Moon cooled and was shaped by Earth’s gravity.
The Full Story
The Moon is tidally locked, so we always see the same near side, but the far side is geologically very different. The far side has many more craters and much fewer dark basalt plains, called maria, than the near side. One leading explanation is that the near side stayed warmer for longer because of heat from radioactive elements and the strong influence of Earth early in the Moon’s history. That allowed more volcanic flooding on the near side, creating its smoother appearance. Spacecraft such as China’s Chang’e missions have provided new high-resolution data on the far side’s terrain and structure.
Key Facts
YouTube Angle
Suggested video title for this topic:
"Same Moon, two different faces—why the far side looks so strange."
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