A collaborative study by US and Chinese researchers discovered volcanic activity on the Moon’s mysterious far side billions of years ago. An analysis of samples collected during China’s Chang’e-6 mission revealed basalt fragments-volcanic rock formed by eruptions dating back over 4.2 billion years. The findings, published in Nature and Science journals on Friday, shed light on this lesser-explored lunar region.
While volcanic activity on the Moon’s near side, visible from Earth, is well-documented, the far side is geologically distinct and remains largely unexplored. The samples, the first ever retrieved from the Moon’s far side, were collected during a nearly two-month mission by the Chang’e-6 spacecraft, which faced significant risks.
Using radiometric dating, researchers led by the Chinese Academy of Sciences determined the rock’s age. They also discovered evidence of a “surprisingly young” eruption approximately 2.83 billion years ago, a phenomenon not observed on the near side.
“This is an incredibly exciting study,” wrote Professor Qiuli Li from the Institute of Geology and Geophysics in a peer review. “It represents the first geochronological analysis of Chang’e-6 samples and will be immensely valuable to lunar and planetary science.”
Though often referred to as the “dark side,” this part of the Moon receives sunlight-it is only “dark” because it is never visible from Earth. The Moon is tidally locked to our planet, taking about 27 days to complete an orbit, meaning the same side always faces us.
The far side was first photographed in 1959 by the Soviet spacecraft Luna 3, providing grainy but historic images. Since then, numerous high-resolution images and videos, including a stunning NASA video showing Earth in the background, have offered glimpses of this hidden lunar landscape.
Earlier this year, the Chang’e-6 mission deployed a small rover that captured a selfie of the lander on the far side’s rocky terrain, marking another milestone in lunar exploration.