The Moon Always Shows the Same Face

The Moon never turns its back on Earth. One side is forever hidden. It’s not coincidence.

The Moon is tidally locked to Earth. It rotates once for every orbit. This synchronization took millions of years. Gravitational forces caused it. The far side looks very different. It has fewer maria and thicker crust.

Why This Matters

This matters because it affects observation. Humans didn’t see the far side until 1959. Exploration changed perception.

It also demonstrates tidal locking. Many moons and exoplanets behave similarly. The Moon is a textbook example.

Did You Know?

The Moon’s far side was first photographed by a Soviet spacecraft.

Source

[NASA, nasa.gov]

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