What is the far side of the moon?
The far side of the moon is the hemisphere of the moon that does not face the Earth. The moon is tidally locked to the Earth, meaning that it always shows the same side to us. Therefore, most of the far side of the moon is invisible from the Earth. However, because the moon’s orbit is elliptical and not circular, its orbital speed varies. Also, because the moon’s orbital axis and rotational axis are tilted, some parts of the edge near the front can be seen depending on the observer’s position and time. About 59% of the total surface of the moon can be observed from the Earth, and 18% of the far side.
The far side of the moon has been a subject of various fiction works and urban legends because it was difficult to observe from the Earth. The first direct observation by humans was in 1959 when the Soviet lunar probe Luna 3 took pictures of it. Since then, lunar probes and manned missions from countries such as the United States and Japan have revealed the terrain and gravity distribution of the far side of the moon. However, there are still many parts that have not been elucidated, and there are rumors and theories that secrets and mysteries are hidden on the far side of the moon.
The mysterious structures on the far side of the moon
There is a possibility that there are structures on the surface of the moon that have unknown shapes and purposes, not just natural features such as craters and mountains. These are theorized to be artificial, made by aliens or ancient civilizations.
For example, the following are some of them:
- Blair Castle: A white tower-like object that appeared in a photo taken by the American probe Lunar Orbiter 5 in 1976. It is about 7km high and is claimed to be impossible to form naturally.
- The Shard: A pointed object that appeared in a photo taken by Apollo 8 in 1968. It is about 1.5km high and has a possibility of being metallic because it reflects light.
- Mare Crisium Anomaly: An object inside a crater that appeared in a photo taken by Lunar Orbiter 2 in 1966. It is about 3km in diameter and has regular shapes such as circles and squares, suggesting that it could be artificial.
There are also claims that NASA is hiding these objects, but there is little scientific evidence or proof, and they may just look unnatural due to light reflection or shadow effects.
The secret bases and experiments on the far side of the moon
There is also a theory that there are secret bases and experiments on the far side of the moon, because they cannot be observed from the Earth. These are theorized to be done by countries or organizations such as America or Russia, or by aliens or ancient civilizations.
For example, the following are some of them:
- Nazi lunar base: A theory that Nazi Germany built a secret base on the far side of the moon using rocket technology developed during World War II. There are also claims that they are planning to invade Earth from there.
- Soviet nuclear explosion experiment: A theory that Soviet Union conducted a nuclear explosion experiment on the far side of the moon in 1962. The purpose could be to carve giant letters on the lunar surface or to change the rotation of the moon.
- Alien base or UFO: A theory that there are alien bases or UFOs on the far side of the moon, and they are monitoring Earth from there. There are also claims that Apollo astronauts witnessed UFOs on the lunar surface or have photos of them.
These theories are also lacking in scientific evidence or proof, and they may be nothing but paranoid delusions. However, few people can say for sure that there is nothing on the far side of the moon, and many people are stimulated by their imagination.
The ancient literature and philosophy about the far side of the moon
The moon has been an important celestial body for humans since ancient times, and it has been revered in various cultures and religions. Also, the moon has influenced the stability of Earth and may have been important for life’s existence. Therefore, knowledge and thought about the moon have been done from ancient times to modern times.
For example, some of them are:
- Plato: An ancient Greek philosopher. In his dialogues such as “Timaeus” and “Critias”, he said that the moon has life and rational animals living on it, just like the Earth.
- Plutarch: An ancient Greek-Roman historian. In his works such as “Parallel Lives” and “Moralia”, he said that the moon is more beautiful and rich than the Earth, and that gods and heroes live there. He also said that there is a dark continent on the far side of the moon, where demons and monsters live.
- Kepler: A 17th-century astronomer. He wrote a novel called “Somnium”, which depicted the world of the far side of the moon “Privolvus” and its inhabitants. This novel expressed rich scientific knowledge and imagination about the moon.
- Flamel: An 18th-century alchemist. He wrote a book called “The Journey to the Far Side of the Moon”, in which he claimed that the secrets of alchemy are hidden on the far side of the moon. He also claimed that the far side of the moon is governed by different physical laws than the Earth, and that time and space are distorted there.
These literature and philosophy show human curiosity and interest in the far side of the moon. However, these are just fiction or speculation, and they have no scientific evidence or proof. The far side of the moon is still an unknown area, and further exploration is needed to reveal its truth.
Summary
This article introduces urban legends and conspiracy theories related to the far side of the moon. There are mysterious structures, secret bases and experiments, ancient literature and philosophy about the far side of the moon, but they have little scientific evidence or proof, and they may be just fantasies or fiction. The far side of the moon still has many unsolved parts, and many people are stimulated by their imagination.
