Rock samples show moon's farside interior is cooler than nearside
Rock samples brought by China's Chang'e-6 mission in 2024 revealed that the Moon's farside interior is cooler than the nearside. Minerals in the farside rocks formed about 100 km beneath the surface around 1,100°C. By comparison, similar rocks from the nearside mantle crystallised at about 1,200°C, making the farside roughly 100°C cooler. Researchers believe this difference persists even today.