The dark side of the force, uh, moon is covered with craters.
2007-08-09 04:49:06 · 10 answers · asked by Tweed 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Just because one side is always facing us, does not mean we completely block any and all approaches to that face. Think about how much space is between us and the moon and you will see that there is a significant window for interplanetary debris to strike it.
2007-08-09 04:53:16 · answer #1 · answered by most important person you know 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Firstly it hasn't always been facing the Earth. It has been for several billion years, very probably, but it was by no means always that way.
Secondly, there is 240,000 miles of space between us and the Moon, and we are only four times the Moon's diameter. Earth is certainly not an effective block to meteorites hitting the side facing us. On a clear day hold up your thumb at arm's length and use it to block the Moon from your view. Now see how little you have to move your viewpoint to have the Moon fully visible again.
2007-08-09 05:08:18 · answer #2 · answered by Jason T 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The side of the moon we can see from the Earth has a very different structure if compared with the other side: more craters and valleys, less mountains. It is because the gravitational force of the Earth (stronger on the visible side) attracts meteorits that so fall in much greater number on this side.
2007-08-09 05:04:55 · answer #3 · answered by dottorinoUCSC82 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Objects in space don't just come from one direction, the come from every direction, and there are craters all over the moon, top bottom sides.
We are about two hundred thousand miles from the Moon, that leaves a wide gap for Meteors to go past the Earth and hit the moon.
2007-08-09 06:00:31 · answer #4 · answered by John R 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm watching TV, but I'll tell you later. Basically early in the Moon's history it was much closer to the Earth and became tidally locked. Because it was undergoing violent eruptions do to the extreme stresses of forming from ejecta lava coated the surface facing the earth(via gravity). These arnt craters you're looking at. They're areas that were resurface via volcanic activity. If you're talking about the big dark blotches.
2016-05-17 22:56:20 · answer #5 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Objects falling in a 'gravity well` do not travel in straight lines.
An object trapped by the moons gravity might well spiral in through three or four loops before striking.
Also, look at the moon from earth. Earth looks about the same size from the moon.
How much room is there around it in the moons sky.
Get it?
2007-08-09 18:31:51 · answer #6 · answered by Irv S 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Due to the timing of the moon's rotation, it appears that the moon always has one side facing Earth. The moon does rotate on its axis which means that the same face is not continually exposed to space versus the sun.
2007-08-09 05:03:25 · answer #7 · answered by YubNub 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
craters are more on the other side because there is no force of earths gravity acting upon it due to which meteors get much more chance to strike on the other side.
2007-08-09 05:56:50 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
well brother their is a lot of space so anything can come any kind of debris or mateor and there is a little difference between two sides due to the earth's gravitational feild but not much
that doesnt makes sense at all does it
2007-08-09 05:21:43 · answer #9 · answered by feeju 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The earth is not responsible for those meteorites, so it doesn't matter.
2007-08-09 05:15:18 · answer #10 · answered by cidyah 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋