FUN WITH MAPS ISSUE 2024-189 

By Steve Kovacs (Introduction by Chuck Gibson)

LOVELAND, OH (October 7, 2024) – In this edition of Fun with Maps we take a trip to backside of the moon.    

THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON

On October 7, 1959 people on earth got their first look at the back side of the moon.

A photograph was taken with a camera mounted to the Luna 3 robotic spacecraft.  Although the picture was taken on October 7, the photograph was not released until the 27th.

About 1/3 of the moon’s surface is never visible to the Earth.  The Russian “interplanetary station” passed behind the moon and was able to look back at the far side.  The pictures are very low resolution because of the lack of light and far distance from which they were taken.  Yet it was obvious that the back side was very different from the front side.

The far side of the moon has much more of the original crust still in place, and far fewer lunar maria (the dark spots that lead us to think we see a face up there).  The “seas” caused by basalt buildup are far fewer, probably because the lava couldn’t penetrate the thick crust.

The Russian lunar program also beat the US in orbiting the moon and making a soft landing there although the US won the ultimate prize of the first manned landing in 1969.

Here is Thomas’ view of the front side of the moon from 1730.

Steve Kovacs and his wife Theresa reside in Loveland, Ohio where they raised their two children. He is a passionate collector of antique maps.

Visit his antique map boutique world-on-paper online. Watch for his daily feature Steve Kovacs: Fun with Maps here on Loveland Beacon.