Near side of the Moon

The near side of the Moon is the lunar hemisphere that faces Earth, opposite to the far side. The near side of the Moon has always the same lunar surface (or "face") oriented to Earth, due to the Moon rotating on its axis at the same rate that the Moon orbits the Earth—a phenomenon known as tidal locking.

The Moon is directly illuminated by the Sun, and the cyclically varying viewing conditions cause the lunar phases. Sometimes the dark portion of the Moon is faintly visible due to earthshine, which is indirect sunlight reflected from the surface of Earth and onto the Moon.

Since the Moon's orbit is both somewhat elliptical and inclined to its equatorial plane, libration allows up to 59% of the Moon's surface to be viewed from Earth (though only half at any moment from any point).