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Name: Byron
Status: Other
Age: 50s
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: N/A
Question:
Does the moon rotate on its own axis, like the earth, or do we see the same surface all the time?


Replies:
The moon rotates on its own axis and revolves around the Earth.

Glenn

Hello Byron

Thanks for your question. The answer is actually 'Yes the moon does turn on its own axis' and 'yes, we do see the same surface all the time.'

You see the moon turns on its axis at a rate that means that it turns once every 29.5 days - it also takes 29.5 days to travel around the Earth. As a result, we always see the same face of the moon.

If you have trouble visualising why this is true - pretend that you are the moon. Find an object like a chair (you will pretend that the chair is the Earth). Now move around the chair so that your body always faces the chair. As you move around - you will have to turn your body so that it faces the chair. You have to turn your body a full rotation every time you do a full circuit of the chair.

I hope this helps you.

Cheers

Cameron Millsom


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