On the Far Side of the Moon
Imagine how surprised the astronomers were when they learned the sun was turning. They figured this out when they started keeping track of the sunspots on its surface. They knew the sun was rotating, because the spots would disappear on one side and then reappear on the opposite edge. Yet, they were more surprised to realizethe moon was rotating, because we only see one side of the moon. How could that be? After studying the moon for some time, they found out that it takes the same amount of time for the moon to orbit around the earth as it does for the moon to rotate. Both things take around 28 days, so we never actually see the moon turning around! The side of the moon we never see is called the far side. Every once in a while we do get a little peek at this far side, because the moon, like the earth, is round. During certain times of the month you can see around the edge of the moon as it makes its oval orbit, giving us a view of the areas closer to its north and south poles. Strangely enough, the same is true for the paths of the other planets.
Try This
A Walk on the Moon
If you want to see what walking on the moon is like, you can make a pair of moon boots by tying a large, soft sponge to each of your shoes. Another way to create this sensationis by walking on an old air mattress or a few old pillows wearing just your socks. Be sure to ask your family for help!
Crazy moon
A long time ago, people used the Latin word for moon (luna) to create a new word to describe someone they believed had been made crazy by the rays of the full moon. The crazy thing is that we still use this word today! The decoder will help you figure out this common word.
Which one?
I was the second person to set foot on the moon. Soon after that the world was a “buzz” with the news.
Sally Ride
John Glenn
Neil Armstrong
Edwin Aldrin
D. Edwin Aldrin
JUST for FUN
Lunar Party
Why not have a moon party? All you need is a few friends, some cheesy snacks, a bouncy obstaclecourse, and a place to gaze at the moon. Start your party early enough to have your games and challenges before it gets dark. When you plan your party make sure the moon is supposed to be out that night.
The Dark Side?
You don't want to make the mistake of calling the far side of the moon the dark side. Why? Because, there is no dark side, only a side that you can't see from Earth! You might expect the far side of the moon to look a lot like the side that we can see. In fact, pictures have been taken by space travelers revealing that they are quite different. Although there are craters all over both sides of the moon, there are very few maria or craters filled with volcanic rock on the far side. Visitors to the moon don't have to worry about the volcanoes, though, as they stopped erupting billions of years ago. There are many more highlands on the far side, which are similar to the crust on Earth. You might think you were looking at two different moons if you could see each side one at a time!
