If moon is spining why do we see its same face all the time?

Answer 1

The moon rotates at very slowly, rotating about once a month, the moon also of course travels around the earth, one orbit about once a month. Because these two different rotation are the same we always see the same side.

Coincidence? No

just like the moon creates tides on earth, the earth used to create tides on the moon, but far bigger ones. This causes friction, and this over time caused the rotation of the moon to exactly match its orbit which is the lowest friction state.

this is comon for small moons about bigger planets, many of them have had their rotations sycrozined by tidal forces.

Answer 2

It turns in concert with the rotation of the earth; ie, it rotates once per lunar month. Take a beach ball and a tennis ball. Put an x on the tennis ball and rotate it around the beach ball so the x always faces. That's what the moon does.

Basically, on the moon, one day = one earth lunar month.

And it's not perfect. There are bits of the dark side we can see at different times.

Answer 3

It's actually because of its spinning that we only see one side of the moon. If it wasn't spinning we would see the other side of the moon as well. Try a little experiment with some objects, first, make one thing revolve around another object without spinning. Make sure it doesn't spin, maybe have a wall one side of the object always faces. If you actually don't have it spin, the other object would theoretically be able to see all the sides of the 'moon'.

Answer 4

It isn't spinning so the same face is towards the Earth the whole time

The Moon orbits the Earth with the same side always facing towards the Earth, which is why we only see one side. Unlike the Earth, the Moon does not rotate or spin on it's own axis. This means that no matter where the Moon is as it orbits the Earth once every 28 days the same side is always visible, the only difference being the portion of that visible surface we can see due to the phases of the Moon which are caused by the relative position of the Moon and the Sun.

See http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/time/moon/phases.html which states exactly what I have just said and demonstrates that junior school kids (age 7-11) in the UK are expected to know what obviously all those giving me a thumbs down do not. Perhaps no-one knows the difference between "spinning" and "orbiting". To quote exactly from the website:-

"Did you know?
We always see the same side of the moon. The Moon always keeps the same side pointing towards us so we can never see the 'back' of the Moon from the Earth."

Answer 5

The moon rotates at 10.3 mph. It orbits Earth at 2,286 mph. These two velocites, along with the moon's distance from Earth, combine in such a way to keep one side facing us all the time.

Answer 6

For every orbit around the earth, the moon does one rotation. It's locked with one side facing the earth even though it rotates.

Answer 7

Because it spins at exactly the same rate of time as its orbital period. As a result, the same side always faces earth.

Answer 8

It spins at the same rate at which it revolves around the earth, so the same side is always facing earth. If it's hard to visualize, get two balls and demonstrate it to yourself.

Answer 9

becuse angular velociy of moon is negative but of the same magnitude to that of the earth

Answer 10

It spins very slowly, at exactly the same rate as it goes around the earth. So it goes around the earth once every 28 days, and spins on its axis once very 28 days.