• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Zippy Facts Logo

Zippy Facts

Interesting Random Facts

  • Animals
  • Culture
  • Firsts
  • Food
  • Geography
  • Health
  • History
  • Inventions
  • Language
  • Mythology
  • Odds
  • People
  • Religion
  • Science
  • Space
  • Universe
  • World
You are here: Home / Science / Can Astronauts Land their Spacecraft on the Dark Side of the Moon?

Can Astronauts Land their Spacecraft on the Dark Side of the Moon?

March 19, 2020 by Karen Hill

No, astronauts can’t land on the dark side of the moon and here’s why.

At the lunar equator, daytime temperatures can reach about 273 degrees Fahrenheit—a temperature that astronauts can tolerate in their space suits, although we’re sure they’d prefer a slightly cooler spot.

At night when it’s dark, with no atmosphere to hold in the heat of the day, the temperatures plummet drastically to a chilly -—243 degrees Fahrenheit, a temperature that’s not as easy to withstand.

This, plus a lack of visibility, makes it impractical for them to land in the dark.

But really, there isn’t one “dark side” of the moon. It’s dark on one side for about fourteen days, until it’s rotated around and cooled on the other side for fourteen days.

There is a constant near side of the moon as well as a constant far side, however. Because the moon is stuck in a steady gravitational orbit with Earth, from here we always see the same side of the moon—the near side. This is the side of the moon that all astronauts land on.

Not just because it’s closer, but also because if there were a big moon stuck between the spaceship and ground control, all radio contact would be lost.

Related Facts

  • What Is the Difference Between the Near Side of the Moon and the Far Side of the Moon and Which Side Has Tides?
  • What Is Dark Matter, Where Does Dark Matter Come From, and What Is Dark Matter Made Of?
  • How Do Astronauts Navigate In Space and What Instruments Do Astronauts Use To Figure Out Their Trajectory?
  • When Did the First Humans Land On the Moon and How Many Astronauts Were On the The Apollo 11 Mission?
  • Who Was the First Person To Orbit the Moon and When Did Apollo 8 Orbit the Moon With Three Astronauts?
  • Why is the Right Side of a Boat Called "Starboard" and the Left Side Called "Port Side"?

Filed Under: Science

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

Previous Post: « What types of animals have been sent into space?
Next Post: How many people have died on missions to outer space and have any floated away? »

Footer

Follow

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • GitHub
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Medium
  • Pinterest
  • StumbleUpon
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Categories

Accomplishments Animals Culture Firsts Food Geography Health History Inventions Language Mythology Odds People Religion Science Space Universe World Your Body

About

Zippy Facts empowers the world by serving educational content that is accessible to everyone.

A tribute to growing up, zippyfacts.com showcases interesting and unusual facts about the world.

Our mission is to use technology to facilitate knowledge transfer and sharing.

Copyright © 2021 Zippy Facts

  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy