Moon tidal locking explains far side view#moon #tidallocking #artemis

Hinzugefügt: 2026-05-21

[00:00:00]So, this person says, "How have we not seen the other side of the moon? Doesn't it rotate?" It rotates, but that's why we don't see the other side. Let me explain. The moon and Earth are tidally locked, its rotational speed matching its orbital speed. It spins once per orbit. For example, this is the moon.

[00:00:16]Notice how the angle changes to see the same side. If it didn't rotate, we'd see the other side. Billions of years ago, the moon spun faster. Earth's gravitational tug slowed it until it synced perfectly. So, the same side always faces us. It's like gravitational Stockholm syndrome, and tidal locking is a common phenomenon. Jupiter's Galilean moons, Saturn's many moons, and even exoplanets are tidally locked with their star, which would be facing on the day side. On Earth, we don't see the far side of the moon. Guess we just rely on Artemis images. Follow for more fascinating science facts.