Who are the Chinese “old residents” on the far side of the moon?

Since the impact craters on the back side of the moon are much denser than those on the front side, most of the impact craters named after Chinese people are also located on the back side of the moon.

There are six impact craters on the far side of the moon that were named after ancient Chinese scientists, inventors and mythological figures. They are Zu Chongzhi, Guo Shoujing, Zhang Heng, Shi Shen, Wan Hu and Chang'e.

Zu Chongzhi (429-500), an outstanding mathematician and astronomer during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, created a highly accurate calendar, the "Da Ming Calendar". Zu Chongzhi calculated that the number of days in each nodal month (the time required for the moon to pass through the ecliptic twice in a row) is 27.21223 days, which is only one hundred thousandth of a day different from the modern observation of 27.21222 days. The Zu Chongzhi crater is located at 144°E and 16°N, with a diameter of 28 kilometers. It was named in 1970.

Portrait of Zu Chongzhi

Zuchongzhi impact crater

Guo Shoujing (1231-1316) was an outstanding astronomer, hydraulic engineer, mathematician and instrument maker in the Yuan Dynasty. With the astronomical instruments designed by himself, Guo Shoujing observed the movement of celestial bodies such as the sun and the moon, and organized the creation of the famous "Shou Shi Calendar". Many scientific instruments and mathematical algorithms developed and created by Guo Shoujing appeared hundreds of years earlier than those in Europe. The Guo Shoujing Crater is located at 135° east longitude and 9° north latitude, with a diameter of 34 kilometers. It was named in 1970.

Portrait of Guo Shoujing

Guoshoujing Crater

Zhang Heng (78-139) was an outstanding scientist and astronomer in the Eastern Han Dynasty. Zhang Heng pointed out that the moon itself does not emit light, and moonlight is actually the reflection of sunlight, and correctly explained the cause of lunar eclipses. Zhang Heng observed and recorded 2,500 stars and created the world's first water-filled armillary sphere that can accurately display celestial phenomena. The Zhang Heng crater is located at 113° east longitude and 19° north latitude, with a diameter of 43 kilometers. It was named in 1970.

Shi Shen, whose birth and death dates are yet to be determined, was a famous astronomer of the Wei State in the middle of the Warring States Period. He measured more than 800 stars and compiled the world's earliest star catalog. He wrote his own monograph "Astronomy", which was later compiled into "Gan Shi Xing Jing" together with "Xingzhan" by another ancient astronomer Gan De. The Shi Shen crater is located at 104° east longitude and 76° north latitude, with a diameter of 43 kilometers. It was named in 1970.

Wan Hu, an official of the Ming Dynasty in China, was the first person in the world to attempt to fly into space using rockets. He sat on a chair, holding two large kites, and 47 rockets were mounted on the back of the chair. He ignited the rockets and tried to use the thrust of the rockets and the buoyancy of the kites to rise into space. Unfortunately, the rockets exploded and Wan Hu lost his life. The Wan Hu crater is located at 138°W and 9°S, with a diameter of 52 kilometers. It was named in 1970.

Chang'e is a fairy from the Moon Palace in ancient Chinese legends. The story of "Chang'e flying to the Moon" has a wide and far-reaching influence on the Chinese folklore and is an important part of China's traditional moon culture. The Chang'e crater is located at 2.1°W and 12.7°S, with a diameter of 3 kilometers. It was named in 1976.

References/Chen Qiufa. Exploring the Mystery of the Full Moon Map[M]. Beijing: China Aerospace Press, 2013.