From Earth we always see the same side of the Moon. In 1959 we got our first glimpse of the Moon's hidden face when the Soviet Luna 3 spacecraft returned the first image of the far side. The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter's polar orbit allows it to image the entire lunar surface in color and in stereo.
Far Side Mosaic
This mosaic was made with 1,686 images, most of which were acquired during two weeks in 2011. The Sun remained low over the horizon during this time, which emphasizes landform relief.
Image: WAC Mosaic
Near Side Mosaic
For two weeks in 2010, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter remained looking straight down while its Wide Angle Camera acquired about 1,300 images. The result was this spectacular mosaic. The low angle of the Sun during this period created crisp shadows that highlight the landforms.
Image: WAC Mosaic
High Noon on the Moon
The sunlight at noon minimizes shadows but enhances subtle differences in surface brightness. The dark material is mare basalt, a volcanic rock that formed when lava erupted and flooded large impact basins early in the Moon's history. The brightest features are ejecta, deposits and bright rays of material thrown from relatively recent impact craters. Notice how dissimilar the near (upper left) and far (lower left) sides appear.
Image: WAC Mosaic
The Moon's True Colors
The Moon may look black and white to the naked eye, but the Wide Angle Camera's filters show its true colors. The subtle variations in color seen here result from differences in the chemical composition of the rocks and soil of the bright highlands and the dark lowlands.
Image: WAC Mosaic
The North and South Poles
At the Moon's poles, the Sun never rises high above the horizon. Long shadows make mapping these regions difficult. These polar mosaics were created from images taken when the Sun was highest on the horizon and casting minimal shadows.
Image: WAC Mosaic
Where the Sun Never Shines
Because the Moon's axis is tilted only slightly, the angle of the Sun's rays does not change much, so the Moon has no seasons. These maps of the north (top) and south (bottom) poles, where the sunlight angle is lowest, were created from thousands of images taken throughout a lunar year. They show what percent of a year each area of the map is sunlit. Low areas in permanent shadow appear black, while some peaks on nearby crater rims are sunlit most of the time. These areas of permanent shadow are very cold and may be where water ice has collected.
Camera: NAC
