2006-08-14 22:54:32 · 8 answers · asked by tembaland 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
It's not easy to explain without a background in some physics, but I'll make an attempt.
It's not a matter of 'odds'. This is a common natural occurrence due to long-term tidal forces. Our moon is nothing special in having this feature.
Any two objects orbiting each other closely enough will tend towards this arrangement.
The moon rotates in approximately the same time it takes to orbit the earth. This causes the same face of the moon to be visible at all times from the earth.
This is caused by tidal forces acting between the moon and earth over billions of years slowing down the rotation of each as they tend to equalize over time.
The moon reached this semi-equilibrium stage first because it has much less mass than the earth. Although the moon is 1/4 the size of the earth, the earth has over 81 times more mass or substance than the moon.
The earth's rotation is also slowing down. Eventually, when the tidal forces reach a balance (full equilibrium), the earth and moon will always show the same faces to each other.
When this happens the moon will stay in the same place in the sky all the time from any given location and the same will be true of the earth as viewed from the moon, as is the case with Pluto and its moon Charon.
But that's a way off in the future yet.
2006-08-15 05:15:02 · answer #1 · answered by Jay T 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In actuality, the Moon does rotate. It just rotates at the same speed as it orbits, such that the same face always faces the Earth. The fact is, that our Moon is not the only one with this type of orbit. Many other planets have Moons that follow the same pattern and only show one face to their respective planet.
The reason for this is the not quite spherical geometries and non-perfect mass distributions of the Earth and Moon. It may have been that in the beginning of the Earth-Moon system the Moon had a much less stable orbit and as time progressed it settled into its now relatively stable orbit. Mass distributions of Earth and Moon cause uneven gravity fields/gradients between the two which in effect causes the tidal drifts (high and low tides) and has the similar effect on the Moon's motion.
In essence, the reason for the Earth-Moon system's motion is explained easily using orbital mechanics principles and having knowledge of rotational kinematics/dynamics. Remember that other planet-moon systems exhibit the same exact pattern of motion and is technically an equlibrium point in the motion.
2006-08-15 03:34:55 · answer #2 · answered by AresIV 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The moon does indeed rotate, to where its far side is 'seen' as a new moon. Check this site out http://www.sumanasinc.com/webcontent/anisamples/astronomy/moonphase.html
It's an animated gif of the phases of the moon, as well as a description as to what's going on.
2006-08-14 23:17:40 · answer #3 · answered by seraphim_pwns_u 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Moon in all likelihood started rotating with a different speed but because of tidal forces it was syncronized with the Earth.
2006-08-14 23:23:01 · answer #4 · answered by helene_thygesen 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The earths spins around as quickly as each and every 24 hrs and the moon orbits the earth each and every 27.3 days (approx). So u get to work out it every time the earth rotates. and oftentimes it extremely is at night whilst it extremely is seen.
2016-12-17 11:11:00 · answer #5 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The moon does not rotate
2006-08-14 23:00:45 · answer #6 · answered by virginia o 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Planet earth has its magnetic field formed due to its rotation. Were our moon to have rotation, it would form a magnetic field that would soon draw that mass into that of our planet. The odds of our moon having no rotation to it is directly proportionate to that of Creation.
2006-08-15 06:12:00 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
The same side of the moon is not visable everynight. It depends on which moon phase we are in.
2006-08-14 23:00:31 · answer #8 · answered by Sara 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋