Why do we not see the other side of the moon?

Why do we not see the other side of the moon?

We don’t see the far side because “the moon is tidally locked to the Earth,” said John Keller, deputy project scientist for NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter project. If the moon were a perfect sphere, then the gravity felt on the far side and the near side (or Earth’s side), would cancel each other out.

What did China call the dark shadows on the moon?

Lunar pareidolia refers to the pareidolic images seen by humans on the face of the Moon. The Moon’s surface is a complex mixture of dark areas (the lunar maria, or “seas”) and lighter areas (the highlands).

What do people see when they see the moon?

Some people see an outline of a rabbit on the Moon, others see a dog, and still others see a man in the Moon, a crab, a lady knitting or reading a book, a man resting under a tree, a frog, a lizard … The Moon is covered with light and dark areas.

What is the name of the Chinese man in the moon legend?

In Chinese mythology, the goddess Chang’e is stranded upon the Moon after foolishly consuming a double dose of an immortality potion. In some versions of the myth, she is accompanied by Yu Tu, a Moon rabbit. In Haida mythology, the figure represents a boy gathering sticks.

Can you see the rabbit on the moon?

The Rabbit in the Moon Several cultures see a rabbit in the Moon, with the Sea of Tranquility (where Apollo 11 landed) as the rabbit’s head and the Seas of Nectar and Fertility as the rabbit’s ears. (Similar tales are told in other cultures about a rabbit’s sacrifice.)

Is there a face on the moon?

Many of us see a man in the moon — a human face smiling down at us from the lunar surface. The “face,” of course, is just an illusion, shaped by the dark splotches of lunar maria (smooth plains formed from the lava of ancient volcanic eruptions). When the moon cooled, its slightly oblong shape stuck.

What does Moon Gazing Hare mean?

The Myth of the Moon Gazing Hare reflects ancient beliefs. Pagans believed that seeing a moon gazing hare would bring growth, re-birth, and abundance, new beginnings and good fortune.