Why was the South Pole–Aitken basin difficult to study clearly before the start of space exploration?
Answer
It is mostly situated on the lunar far side.
The vast majority of the South Pole–Aitken basin resides on the far side of the Moon. Because the Moon is tidally locked with Earth, the far side was perpetually hidden from direct, clear observation from our planet until spacecraft were capable of orbiting or landing there, initiating modern space exploration and allowing scientists to fully map and study this immense feature.
Related Questions
What distinction does the South Pole–Aitken basin hold in the entire Solar System known to date?What is the approximate diameter stretching across the South Pole–Aitken basin?How deep does the South Pole–Aitken basin plunge below the surrounding plain?How does the material found within the SPA basin floor compare chemically to the Moon’s maria?What geophysical finding was detected deep underneath the gigantic South Pole–Aitken structure?Why was the South Pole–Aitken basin difficult to study clearly before the start of space exploration?What geological process resulted from the SPA impact's immense energy release early in lunar history?How does the SPA event compare conceptually to the formation of features like Tycho or Copernicus craters?Which specific crater, mentioned in the basin's name, is actually situated within the boundaries of the larger South Pole–Aitken basin?How does the SPA’s location and formation contribute to understanding the lunar dichotomy?