space

Why Does the Moon Always Show the Same Face to Earth?

šŸ’” The Answer

  • Tidal locking causes the Moon's rotation period to equal its orbital period.
  • Gravitational forces from Earth gradually slowed the Moon's spin over billions of years.
  • The process is common among moons in close orbits around their planets.
  • The far side was completely unknown until the 1959 Luna 3 mission.

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