Far Side of the Moon

The Far Side of the Moon is the hemisphere of the Moon that always faces away from Earth due to tidal locking, meaning the same side is never visible from our planet. This side was unseen until spacecraft orbited the Moon and photographed it in the mid-20th century. It has a rugged, heavily cratered surface with fewer large maria (flat plains) compared to the near side. The far side's environment impacts lunar science and exploration, and it remains one of the most intriguing regions for future scientific study and potential exploration missions.