The moon would be much brighter if it was the other way round
2006-09-03 22:43:38 · 16 answers · asked by bwadsp 5 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Spacecraft show the back of the moon to be all bright highlands
2006-09-03 22:51:28 · update #1
The seas on the moon are areas where there are fewer large impact craters.
I would imagine that the reason why most of the lunar seas face the earth is due to the fact that the earth would shield the moon against some of the meteors that would otherwise create these craters. This, on top of the fact that the earth's gravitional pull would divert the path of some of the earth-side moon bound meteors away from the moon, and into the earth. As the earth has an atmosphere, most of these objects burn up on entry.
As the far side of the moon doesn't have this "shield", it is bombarded by meteors far more often and by far larger ones than the side that faces the earth. More meteor impacts equals more craters. More craters equals less lunar sea, or smaller lunar seas.
2006-09-03 22:50:14 · answer #1 · answered by k² 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
the lunar seas are really huge gigantic craters that have filled with liquid rock in the past. the surface of the lunar highlands is mostly made of Anorthocite sometimes known as Feldspar, this is the bright surface covering that we see between the seas and on the far (not dark) side of the moon. the darker material that forms the seas is basalt, in the moons early history this basalt in liquid form seeped up through cracks in the moons crust, the craks had appeared because of the massive forces involved in the meteorite impacts that caused the craters in the first place, the reason it only happened on the side of the mmon we can see is because the crust on that side of the moon is actually thinner than on the far side.
incidentally we do know that the surface in the seas is younger than the surface on the highlands because there are less craters there, this means the seas can't have been around as long because they've not been hit as much!
originially there would have been large impact craters on the far side of the moon as well, but because the moons been around so long, and it is constantly being impacted by meteorites we can't see any traces of these monster craters. the debris in space is much smaller now than it was when the moon was first forming so we get many small craters overlying the large ones, and eventually they obliterate all evidence of the big craters existence.
2006-09-04 23:07:46 · answer #2 · answered by jen_82_m 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are a variety of hypotheses. One is that convection due to small temperature gradients early in the moons history (during the magma ocean period but after tidal locking) due to radiative thermal shielding by the Earth ended up depositing less dense minerals on the far side. The crust ends up being thicker on the far side.
There is another hypothesis involving chemical differentiation. The topic, while not a hugely active one, is still open for discussion.
I am not all that familiar with Lunar science (or planetary science in general). Perhaps you can find a review article on the topic. I was unable to find much in recent review articles on the Moon.
I would recommend directly contacting some of the authors of the cited papers below. Presumably they are well versed on the topic.
2006-09-04 07:13:12 · answer #3 · answered by Mr. Quark 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No it's not. The mares are newer material... smooth areas that were filled in by the moon's "lava" early in it's life (it used to be somewhat active). It is possible that since there is a constant gravitational pull on that side of the moon by the Earth that more of this basalt "lava" gathered there (kind of like a constant high tide). In addition to this, the back side of the moon is exposed so it gets more impacts that heavily mark it and scatter lighter colored moon dust all over.
2006-09-04 07:56:15 · answer #4 · answered by iMi 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The moon's rotation is such that we actually ever see one area of it. We see the sunlight reflecting off it in diverse ranges reckoning on no matter if the area we may be able to be certain is dealing with the sunlight (complete moon), or no matter if the area we see is dealing with the earth (new moon). so a ways as there being a gloomy area of the moon, as a count number of reality that is all darkish :)
2016-12-06 08:59:28 · answer #5 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The dark side of the moon always faces space and early in the life of the solar system the moon was pummeled with debris from space.
The 'seas' on the moon are only there simply because there was no bombardment from meteors, asteroids (rocks) because it faces the Earth, this means that the lunar dust that has filled these earlier formed craters, stays intact without craters.
2006-09-03 22:52:57 · answer #6 · answered by PollyPocket 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
This is the side of the moon to have least impacts, because it is protected by the earth.
The dark is original material, the light is dust formed by the impacts, and is more reflective. So it could not be the other way around.
2006-09-03 22:58:58 · answer #7 · answered by hi_patia 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A personal guess is that tidal friction from the earth kept these impact basins molten longer than on the far side. But I could be wrong about this.
2006-09-05 06:57:36 · answer #8 · answered by Search first before you ask it 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The moon has alot to do with gravitational pull of water.
The movement of the tides, directly correlates with lunar activity.
Women's menstral cycles happen monthly which can be directly linked with the cycles of the moon.
Also the word lunatic means someone who loses the plot when there is a full moon.
Our bodies are made up of over 70% water..........makes you think doesn't it?
2006-09-03 22:48:45 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
interesting i never knew... but exactley how much brighter. maybe it wouldnt be bright because if it were facing the other way then it would have the same conditions as the current side. i dono if that made any sense. but interesting fact. if it is a fact. hope it is. k bye
2006-09-03 22:49:37 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋