2006-12-11 01:27:58 · 6 answers · asked by robin 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
The moon does rotate on it's axis. It takes 27.3 days to make one full rotation. It also takes 27.3 days to orbit the earth. Thus the Moon only shows one face to the Earth giving the illusion that it doesn't rotate. This is called tidally locked.
2006-12-11 02:43:05 · answer #1 · answered by gfminis 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, it does! If moon didn't rotate, we could see its other side too. The reason we doesn't see it is that its period of revolution equals to its orbital period. One day is one year for the lunatics. And a reason for that is the tidal effect. As Moon creates tidal waves at the oceans on the Earth, Earth, having six times bigger mass, also created very small tidal waves in the Lunar ground. Of course that caused huge friction and as a consequence, rotational speed of the Moon slowed down in the past many billion years. Now that tidal effect act always on the same spots so no more breaking force.
2006-12-11 11:26:46 · answer #2 · answered by kalacihu 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Moon definitely has to rotate to keep one face toward the Earth. If the Moon didn't rotate, we could see all parts of it as it revolved through its orbit.
Get a volunteer to the the Earth for you, and you pretend to be the Moon. Walk in a circle around the Earth, and always keep facing the Earth. Now, what do you see in the background? You'll see different parts of the room as you go around. This proves that you are rotating.
Now, try walking around the Earth without rotating; that is, always face one wall of your room as you move in a circle. Now, does the Earth only see one face of you? Or can they see all sides of you?
You can trade places, and play the Earth while the other person is the Moon, and see what happens!
2006-12-11 10:17:55 · answer #3 · answered by Sporadic 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The moon does rotate around it's axis.
But it rotates around it's axis in exactly the same time as it needs to orbit earth. So the same face is always directed at earth. (27.32166 days)
2006-12-11 09:31:14 · answer #4 · answered by anton3s 3 · 4⤊ 0⤋
It does. It just happens that it's rotation period and it's orbit period are the same.
2006-12-11 09:58:22 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
gravitation force. That's why.
2006-12-11 15:19:47 · answer #6 · answered by sofista 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋