Debunked Myths

The phrase 'dark side of the Moon' is a profound misnomer popularized by Pink Floyd. The correct term is 'far side'—it receives equal sunlight but remains hidden because the Moon is tidally locked, always showing Earth the same face as it orbits.

During a new moon, the far side is fully illuminated. During a full moon, it's in darkness. Sunlight cycles through all lunar surfaces over 29.5 Earth days. The far side was first photographed in 1959 by Soviet probe Luna 3 and remains scientifically valuable because it's shielded from Earth's radio noise, ideal for radio astronomy.

This myth confuses 'unseen' with 'unlit,' obscuring the beautiful symmetry of our Earth-Moon system. Understanding the difference helps appreciate the cosmic dance where all lunar surfaces share sunlight equally, even the parts we never see.