China's Chang'e 4 probe completes work for 44th lunar day

BEIJING -- The lander and the rover of the Chang'e 4 probe have been switched to dormant mode for the lunar night after working stably for a 44th lunar day.

The lander was switched to dormant mode at 6:00 am Wednesday (Beijing Time), and the rover, Yutu-2, at 7:14 pm Tuesday, according to the Lunar Exploration and Space Program Center of the China National Space Administration.

A lunar day is equal to 14 days on Earth, and a lunar night is the same length. The lunar rover, switching to dormant mode during the lunar night due to the lack of solar power, has traveled 1239.88 meters on the far side of the moon, the center said.