Does this make sense?

Question

The fact that the Moon rotates once in the same time it takes to orbit the earth is such astonishing conincidence that scientists probly never will be able to explain it

Answer 1

no, it doesn't make sense. the rotation rate of the moon is understandable and already explained. it is due to tidal effects.

read this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tidal_locking

Answer 2

Actually this phenomenon has been explain quite awhile ago. Another astonishing fact is that the Moon is at a distance from the Earth such that its size in the sky is nearly exactly the size of the Sun, so that it can block out the Sun except its Corona during a Solar eclipse.

Anyways, the reason that the Moon's self rotation is exactly equal to its otbital rotational period around the Earth is because it's orbit has been decaying since its formation about 5 billion years ago. At that time, the Moon was much closer to the earth and appeared 4 times bigger than it does now in the sky (hence, during a solar eclipse, the Moon literally completely blocks out the Sun and then some). The Earth at that time, rotated about its own axis in just a few hours so that day and night turnover is much quicker than now.

After 5 billions years, the rotational energy of the Earth and the Moon has declined and coincidentally that right now the Moon's self-rotation is equal to its rotation around the Earth. Earth's day is now 24 hours. This will all change in several billion years. When Earth's day will continue to legthen and the Moon's orbit will keep getting farther and father away from earth, and its self rotation will further slow down as well.

Answer 3

Tidal locking is quite common. A number of other moons orbiting planets in the outer solar system exhibit this phenomenon too. The moon is currently retreating from the earth at a rate of 38 millimeters per year, and in the process is slowing the rotation of the earth. Quite a lot of energy is being shed in the process. It amounts to 166 million metric horsepower. (This is something I calculated and is probably not in any book.)

At some point, eons from now, the earth's rotation will match the orbital period of the moon as well as being tidally locked. (The day will be a month long.)

Longhairabsalom

Answer 4

No. Never say never

It's actually pretty easy, the proximity to the earth slows down the moon's rotation until it matches it's orbit. It hasn't been that way forever.

Answer 5

Hi,

I don't think there are any coincidence. Everything seems astonishing but things were created that way.

The way they are is not coincidence but the Creator is Pure Intelligence.

Karl
http://www.freewebs.com/smithkarl/DaveBlogs.htm

Answer 6

Do we get in to Theology then?

Answer 7

hmmm i didnt know that is that a true fact cause if it is idk about making sense but thats pretty interesting