What would happen if the moon stopped rotating on its axis?

Question

How would this affect the earth?

Answer 1

*heavy sigh*

To correct the constant misconceptions that so many people repeat:

1) There is no "dark side" of the moon. There is, however, a "far side" of the moon which cannot be seen from Earth. But that far side gets two weeks of sunshine every moon-day just like all the moon does.

2) The moon most emphatically DOES rotate...its rotation period matches its orbital period. If the moon did not rotate, then it could not be tidally locked with the Earth.

As campbelp said (he's easily one of the smartest guys in this category), there would be virtually no effect on the Earth if the moon stopped rotating.

Answer 2

These "what if?" questions are really a waste of everyone's time. The universe follows the laws of physics, and the laws of physics simply do not allow the Moon to stop rotating on its axis. So why speculate on something that could not happen?

Answer 3

It does not actually rotate...

The Moon, being much smaller than the Earth, long ago dissipated enough energy to lose rotation so that its tidal bulges are now always aligned with the gravitational pull of the Earth. The Earth still raises a "tide" in the Moon but it is in a balanced, steady state now and does not stretch the rock any more -- there's no more spin for the Moon to give up.

Answer 4

There would no longer be a "dark side of the moon." The moon rotates at precisely the same speed that it revolves, meaning that the same side is always facing the Earth. If it stopped rotating, we would see all sides of its surface.

Answer 5

We would be able to see all sides of the Moon, but other than that I can't imagine any effects on Earth.

Answer 6

we would die the moon makes the earth stay on its axis (we may not die but it would be very bad