Chang'e-6 Samples Provide an Ancient Record of the Moon's Far Side.
Samples returned by China's Chang'e-6 mission are providing new insights into the Moon's far side, specifically regarding its geological history and interaction with solar wind. Researchers found that Earth's magnetosphere plays a crucial role in shielding the near side from solar particles, a protection not afforded to the far side.
Why it matters
Understanding the differences between the lunar hemispheres helps scientists better comprehend the history of the Earth-Moon system and the dynamics of space weather.
Samples obtained by China's Chang'e-6 mission are revealing a great deal about the Moon's far side. The study of these rock and regolith samples is not only shedding light on the far side's geological history, which differs from that of the near side, but also on how the two halves of the Moon have interacted differently with space weather. In essence, like the near side, the far side of the Moon has been bombarded by solar wind particles, but at different speeds and energies.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in