APOD: Lunar Farside (2016 Dec 30)

[ta152h0]

is the seismometer still working ? I read the readings after the lunar lander ( and take offer ) was crashed back onto the surface, the moon rang like a bell for quite a while after.

[neufer]

is the seismometer still working ? I read the readings after the lunar lander ( and take offer ) was crashed back onto the surface, the moon rang like a bell for quite a while after.

<<Apollo Lunar Surface Experiment Package (ALSEP) was a collection of geophysical instruments designed to continue to monitor the environment of each Apollo landing site for a period of at least a year after the astronauts had departed. Designed for a life of one year (Apollo 17 was designed for two), they ended up working for up to 8 years, the experiments permanently shut down by Mission Control on 30 September 1977.>>

[Guest]

I would think the far side is also more marked gets bartered [sic] with more stuff from space.

The Earth only fills up only 0.015% of the Moon's near side sky
...hence it physically blocks only 0.015% of the near side 'stuff from space.'

Could Earth gravity field have caused the different markings on the two sides by playing opposite influences over the two Moon's faces, because of the synchronous rotation ( I mean a "wiping effect" on space stuff going to the Moon's near side and an "help" to Moon's gravity in attracting the stuff going to the Moon's hidden side )?

[neufer]

I would think the far side is also more marked gets bartered [sic] with more stuff from space.

The Earth only fills up only 0.015% of the Moon's near side sky
...hence it physically blocks only 0.015% of the near side 'stuff from space.'

Could Earth gravity field have caused the different markings on the two sides by playing opposite influences over the two Moon's faces, because of the synchronous rotation ( I mean a "wiping effect" on space stuff going to the Moon's near side and an "help" to Moon's gravity in attracting the stuff going to the Moon's hidden side )?

• Highly unlikely!

A recent popular theory states that when the Moon first became tidally locked the Earth was both close & hot such that it kept the moon's nearside crust in a hot plastic (nearly liquid) state throughout the Late Heavy Bombardment. Hence only the far side lunar crust was permanently affected by the bombardment.