Why is referring to the far side of the Moon as the "dark side" considered a misnomer?
Answer
The amount of sunlight hitting any part of the Moon changes constantly as it goes through phases.
The term "dark side" inaccurately implies that the far side is perpetually unlit. In reality, the Moon undergoes phases just like Earth does, meaning the distribution of sunlight across its surface is dynamic. For instance, during the New Moon phase as observed from Earth, the near side is dark to us, but the far side is completely illuminated by the Sun. Conversely, during the Full Moon phase when the near side is brilliantly lit, the far side is experiencing its own period of night. Therefore, the illumination cycle affects both hemispheres equally over time, making the persistent shadow concept inapplicable to the far side.
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