2006-12-20 04:25:36 · 12 answers · asked by curlyhead thebarber 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Because it rotates at the same speed as its orbit. And no.
2006-12-20 04:27:45 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
It's kind of simple to demonstrate that every 24 Earth hours, the Moon does complete 1 rotation of its own, making one orbital rotation around the Earth, while the same side of the Moon always faces the Earth. Here's a way to demonstrate this:
Take an orange and, using a magic marker, draw a circle around the orange, so that you have two equal halves. On the top of one side of the orange, make a mark, like a large dot. Now put the orange on a flat surface and, using an object to represent the Earth, face the unmarked side of the orange towards the Earth object. Next, rotate the orange around the Earth, so that the blank (unmarked) side is always facing the Earth. Keep your eyes on the marked (away from the Earth) side. You will see that during a complete orbit around the Earth, the marked side will have completed one full rotation. Pretty cool, eh?
(I'm not sure of how it would effect the Earth if the Moon spun more than once every 24 hours)
2006-12-20 05:02:46 · answer #2 · answered by ridge50 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Several people have given the correct answer for the first part. The same side of the moon always faces us because 1 'day' on the moon takes as long as one orbit around the earth so the same side always faces us.
Does it matter? It depends on how curious you are to see the other side. There's no significance to it otherwise.
2006-12-21 00:46:03 · answer #3 · answered by Dennis R 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Of course it matters. The aliens slowed down moon rotation to hide from us on the opposite side.
Remember Space Odyssey and the black monolith found during an archaeological excavation in the other side of the moon ?
Scary enough, it caused the spark that originated our intelligence when we were just a bunch of frightened primates!
2006-12-20 05:36:19 · answer #4 · answered by PragmaticAlien 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First of all, in spite of what a few others have tried to tell you, the Moon DOES rotate on its axis. The Moon rotates on its axis at 10.3 mph and orbits around Earth at 2,286 mph. The result of these two speeds is the Moon rotating on its axis exactly once per orbital revolution around Earth, therefore only one side faces us.
2006-12-20 05:31:59 · answer #5 · answered by Chug-a-Lug 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Please do not listen to some of these answers. The first one is correct. The moon rotates (as do just about all bodies in the solar system or, for that matter, the universe). It completes one rotation in the same amount of time it takes to complete one revolution. Think of it as a person shuffling around you while always facing you. That person will, at some point, face north, south, east, and west but you will always see their face.
2006-12-20 04:36:28 · answer #6 · answered by Dave P 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
We only see one side of the moon because the moon doesn't rotate like the Earth, and I don't think it actually matters.
2006-12-20 04:30:41 · answer #7 · answered by helenguate01 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
as the moon travels in its orbit around the earth it does not rotate so the same face is always facing earth. If it did spin it could either speed up the earths rotation or slow it down. because the moons orbit is not perfect it makes the earth wobble on its axis, i read somewhere that if the moon wasn't there the earths own rotation would pull it on to its side.
2006-12-20 04:33:02 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
because the whole moon surface is just one side, its a sphere!!! you never never see oh and now we can see the right side of the football?!
2006-12-20 04:28:15 · answer #9 · answered by Dead2TheWind 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because we are tidally locked with one sise of the moon.
2006-12-21 10:11:04 · answer #10 · answered by manc1999 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋