In other words: It revolvs round its axis at the same pace as it revolves around earth.
My question: Does every moon do this?
and
How come?
2006-06-06 20:47:22 · 11 answers · asked by Puppy Zwolle 7 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
btw: Coincidence is not an answer I would accept when talking astronomics.
2006-06-06 21:10:26 · update #1
The reason is that the Moons rotational period is exactly the same as the period of revolution. But it is not a coincidence.
Tidal forces from the earth cause a torque on the rotation of the moon. Over time this has caused the moon to slow its rotation so that we only see the same side.
Our Moon is not the only one like this.
The tidal forces of the sun have slowed mercury down, so that it revolves every 59 days. Eventually it will be like the moon and show the same face to the sun.
In much the same way the moons tidal forces are doing this to the earth as well, However being that the earth is much more massive than the moon, it has not slowed the rotation nearly as much as the earth has slowed the moons rotation.
Most moons in the solar system do not do this (yet). But over a very long period of time, more moons will be slowed and show only one side. but that will take billions of years.
2006-06-06 22:35:28 · answer #1 · answered by zaphods_left_head 3 · 7⤊ 4⤋
Responses without sources aren't answers, they're just opinions.
Tidal locking makes one side of an astronomical body always face another, like the Moon facing the Earth. A tidally locked body takes just as long to rotate around its own axis as it does to revolve around its partner. This synchronous rotation causes only one constant side or hemisphere to face the partner body. The most common situation in our solar system is for a satellite to face its planet (like our Moon). However, if the difference in mass between the two bodies and their separation is small, both may become tidally locked to each other. The best-known example of this is between Pluto and Charon.
2006-06-07 02:56:18 · answer #2 · answered by James E 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
AS the moon revolves around the earth it spins also, showing us the same side all the time.
2006-06-06 22:00:27 · answer #3 · answered by tracy c 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Every moon does not do this. Gravitational torque has caused our moon's rotation around it's axis to slow until it is exactly the same frequency as it's orbit around the Earth.
2006-06-06 20:51:46 · answer #4 · answered by mikey 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The moon can specially situations be seen in the time of the day. The shapes of the moon tht you spot various are led to by technique of the earth getting interior the way of the suns mild that lights he moon. you do no longer see it in the time of the day very plenty through it no longer being very vivid.
2016-11-14 07:43:03 · answer #5 · answered by cathell 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well some they do, but since we don't know the whole universe we can't say if all moons do this or if the other planets do have one.
2006-06-07 03:15:49 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
it rotates as fast as it revolves, so therefore you see only one side
2006-06-07 07:18:31 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, not all do. Ours is just a chance quirk of nature.
2006-06-06 20:51:14 · answer #8 · answered by Awesome Bill 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
its time of rotation = revolution time
2006-06-06 20:51:03 · answer #9 · answered by sankardivya1 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
its hiding its dark side
2006-06-06 20:51:43 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋