* The Moon is tidally locked to Earth: This means the same side of the Moon always faces us.
* The Sun illuminates both sides: As the Moon orbits Earth, both sides experience periods of sunlight and darkness. The side we see, called the "near side," is illuminated during our day and dark during our night. The "far side" (the side we don't see) is also illuminated during our night and dark during our day.
So, the correct way to think about it is:
* Near side: The side we see from Earth.
* Far side: The side we don't see from Earth.
Both sides experience equal amounts of sunlight and darkness over time.
