darkside

Darkside is a term used in several contexts, spanning astronomy, music, and popular culture. It is often associated with the far side of the Moon, which is the hemisphere opposite Earth; in common usage the phrase dark side of the Moon is a traditional but inaccurate label because that hemisphere experiences both daylight and darkness as the Moon orbits Earth.

In astronomy, the far side of the Moon receives sunlight during half of the lunar cycle, just like the near side, and it has a distinct surface composition. It was first photographed by the Soviet Union's Luna 3 spacecraft in 1959. The far side is not visible from Earth in ordinary circumstances due to tidal locking, though small librations can reveal tiny glimpses. In 2019, China's Chang'e 4 mission achieved the first soft landing on the far side, enabling in situ exploration.

In popular culture, Darkside is used as a proper name by several artists and groups. It is the name of an American electronic music duo whose members include Nicolas Jaar and Dave Harrington; the duo is known for blending ambient textures with electronic elements and experimental song structures.

The term appears in other science fiction and media contexts, often as the name of antagonistic factions, planets, or locations. Because Darkside is a generic term, its precise meaning depends on the subject.