A number of people who've seen NASA's annual lunar phase and libration videos have asked what the other side of the Moon looks like, the side that can't be seen from the Earth. This NASA video answers that question.
Self-study activity:
Watch the video and complete the blanks in the transcript with the missing words. The activity is suitable for intermediate students.
We know how the moon looks from here on earth but what does it look like from the other side? Well, for one thing, we can also see the earth. The (1) ... earth looms large in this time-lapse, telescopic view made possible by computer graphics. We're looking along the imaginary line connecting the earth and the moon. From this (2) ... point the moon will be full soon but on earth it's a waning crescent. The far side of the moon has fewer of the (3) ... , dark spots called maria that cover the side that faces earth. Instead, the far side is covered with (4) ... of all sizes.
In the second perspective we're much closer to the moon, using a (5) ... angle lens that makes the distant earth seem smaller. With our view fixed on the moon, the rest of the solar system seems to (6) and whirl around us. Before the space age, no one knew what was on the other side of the moon. Since (7) ... the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has been making some of the most (8) ... global maps of the moon's surface, making it much easier for everyone to see what it's like on the other side.
Key:
1 spinning 2 vantage 3 smooth 4 craters 5 wide 6 dance 7 2009 8 detailed
