NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day on Oct. 10, 2026, showcased a mosaic of the Moon’s farside assembled from images taken by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter’s wide-angle camera.
According to NASA’s description, the image forms part of a global mosaic made from more than 15,000 images collected between November 2009 and February 2011. The highest-resolution version depicts terrain at a scale of 100 meters per pixel.
The farside is markedly rougher and more cratered than the Moon’s Earth-facing side, where broad, dark lunar plains—known as maria—are prominent. NASA’s explanation points to a likely geological reason: a thicker crust on the farside may have made it more difficult for molten material from the Moon’s interior to reach the surface and create those smoother plains.
The image credit lists NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Arizona State University and the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. The daily feature was published as part of NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day service.
