Which side of the Moon can be seen from Earth?

Which side of the Moon can be seen from Earth?

• A. Far side
• B. Dark side
• C. Near side
• D. Bright side

Answer: (C)

The Moon shows the same face to Earth because it is tidally locked, rotating once on its axis for every orbit around us. This synchronization means the hemisphere that faces Earth—the near side—is the part we can see from our planet. The opposite hemisphere is the far side, which can only be seen from space or by spacecraft. The idea of a dark side is a misconception: both sides experience day and night as the Moon cycles, and libration lets us peek a little around the edges from time to time. So the side visible from Earth is the near side.

The Moon shows the same face to Earth because it is tidally locked, rotating once on its axis for every orbit around us. This synchronization means the hemisphere that faces Earth—the near side—is the part we can see from our planet. The opposite hemisphere is the far side, which can only be seen from space or by spacecraft. The idea of a dark side is a misconception: both sides experience day and night as the Moon cycles, and libration lets us peek a little around the edges from time to time. So the side visible from Earth is the near side.