Far side of the moon

[monty0703]

If the the moon turns on it's axis once per orbit, doesn't that mean that the far side faces us at some point?

[joggerjayne]

Okay Octavius ...

... "A" for that :-))

Synchronous rotation is the answer but, in the context of this particular thread, it's probably a phrase best left out !!

[knobster]

I think montys given up and gone down the pub

[Teddio]

Moon orbits the Earth anticlockwise in approx 28 days. Moon rotates on its axis anticlockwise approx once every 28 days.
Therefore the same face will always point towards an observer on Earth.

[monty0703]

I'll be howling at the moon soon. I do now understand thanks to all you good folk out there.

The things that you think about when walking to work. Have a good weekend folks!

[New Judge]

You may also be interested to know that the Earth�s period of rotation (the day) is gradually lengthening and the moon's period of orbit (currently 28 days) is decreasing.

Eventually these two will coincide and the Earth will be tidally locked with the moon as well as the moon being tidally locked with the Earth.

When this happens, the moon will always appear overhead at the same point of the Earth�s surface, and the tides in the sea will cease (because these are caused mainly by the earth's surface moving relative to the moon).

However, these rates are changing so slowly (because of the considerable difference between the mass of the Earth and that of the moon) that it is expected that the Sun will expand into a Red Giant before then, and the Earth/Moon system will be engulfed by the bloated Sun. Prior to this the oceans will have long since boiled away (because of the expanding Sun), so it�s all a bit academic anyway!

[brian j john]

http://www.wonderquest.com/MoonSpin.htm