2006-10-01 08:07:24 · 8 answers · asked by Gareth 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Relative to the Earth, no. The moon's spin cannot be observed from Earth. It must be deduced.
Relative to any other coordinate base, yes.
2006-10-01 08:15:28 · answer #1 · answered by Helmut 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yes, it spins once on its axis each lunar month. A lunar month being the time that the moon takes to orbit the earth.
As far as I know the lunar spin is not physically related in any way to the earths spin but as the moon progressively moves further from the earth and the lunar month gets longer so the lunar spin gets slower and the earths spin gets slower. There is a physical relationship between the rate of change of spin of the two bodies as energy transferred fom the earths spin is what is causing the change in the lunar spin.
Best of luck - Mike
2006-10-01 15:16:44 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Any object in orbit around another object will have a spin one way or another at least 1 turn. Here's an experiment for you to try... Find three balls like a basket ball, a soft ball, and a golf ball. Place the basketball to represent the sun, place the soft ball to represent the earth, use the golf ball to represent the moon. Draw an arrow on the golf ball. Move the golf ball around the soft ball with the arrow always pointing toward the sun (basketball) and see if you notice the rotation of the golf ball. Now move the ball again with the arrow always pointing toward the soft ball. This is the way the moon does as it goes around the earth watch to see if you notice the rotation of the golf ball.
2006-10-01 15:25:29 · answer #3 · answered by Tommiecat 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, it completes one full rotation in one lunar month (the time it takes for the moon to move around the earth)
This is why the same side of the moon is always facing the Earth, and we never see the "Dark Side of the Moon"
2006-10-01 15:10:01 · answer #4 · answered by Wraith 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
it spins around the earth, but i don't think that it moves out of that rotation. i think that's why china sees a different side of the moon than the US in the same day.
2006-10-01 15:48:08 · answer #5 · answered by starrynite4111 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
yes, it spins on its axis once a month (just about) so it makes one rotation for every revolution
2006-10-01 15:13:20 · answer #6 · answered by kemchan2 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
one rotation every 100 years
2006-10-01 15:52:30 · answer #7 · answered by longblondedude 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋
NOPE.
2006-10-01 15:14:31 · answer #8 · answered by S.A.M. Gunner 7212 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋