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This is common for most moons. - Assuming that the Moon ever rotated faster than now, over time it would have rotated slower and slower, due to tidal forces. (Similarly, if it rotated slower, such tidal forces would have make it rotate faster.) Similarly, the Earth's rotation slows down over time, and in a far future, it will always face the same side to the Moon.

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When you look at the moon and see a waxing crescent from Earth why can't you see the entire side of the moon that is facing you?

During a waxing crescent phase of the moon, the sun is illuminating only a portion of the side that faces Earth, creating the visible crescent shape. The unlit portion that faces Earth is not visible because there is no sunlight reflecting off of it to be seen from our perspective.


The Moon's near side always faces earth due to what?

The Moon's near side always faces Earth due to synchronous rotation, which means it takes the same amount of time for the Moon to rotate once on its axis as it does to orbit Earth. This causes one side of the Moon to always be facing us.


Which side of the moon do you see from earth?

The "near" side of the moon is the side that always faces Earth. The "far" side of the moon can only be seen from space. The dark side of the moon is the title of a Pink Floyd album. There is no side of the moon that is always dark.


Can you see the entire surface of the moon from earth?

Actually you can only see the whole moon in space. On earth you can only see about half. No, Just the half of it. That's what the term "dark side of the Moon" stands for. The "dark side" of the Moon is the side unseen from Earth. The moon rotates on its axis once in the time that it take for it to orbit the Earth at this time of its history. The result is that the same side always faces the earth. so we only ever get to see one face of it, while the other side remained a mystery, at least until we managed to go there and have a look.


What is the side of the moon called that never faces the earth?

The side that's visible.

Related Questions

Why does only one side of the moon always faces toward the Earth while the other side always faces away from the Earth?

Because the time periods of the moon's rotation and revolution are exactly equal.


What are the faces on the moon at night?

The "faces" are just "wrinkles," or imperfections, on the moon. The moon is like the earth and has valleys, and mountains. From far, far away, we see "faces" because of the wrinkles.


Why can not see the dark half of the moon?

Because it never faces the Earth.


Why does the moon have moon face names?

it has moon faces because as we move around the sun the moon moves around us and the earth gives off a shadow witch makes moon faces.


Does the moon have day and night if so why?

Just like the earth, the moon has a side that faces the sun (day) and a side that faces away from the sun (night). During a full moon, the side of the moon that faces the earth is lit by the sun and appears in daylight whereas the side of the moon that faces away from the earth is in shadow (night). During a new moon, the opposite is true. The side of the moon that faces the earth is in shadow (night) and the side that faces away from the earth is exposed to the sun (day).


How does the Moon's rotation physically affect the Earth?

The moon's rotation has no affect on the earth because the moon always faces its "near" side toward the earth. In the far distant past, the effect of the earth's presence slowed the moon's rotation until the present state was reached. The moon likewise slows the earth's rotation, but only by a tiny bit each century because the moon is so much smaller than the earth.


What is the reason why the same side of the moon always faces the earth?

The same side of the moon always faces the earth because of a phenomenon called tidal locking, where the moon's rotation period is the same as its orbit around the earth. This causes one side of the moon to always be facing towards the earth.


When you look at the moon and see a waxing crescent from Earth why can't you see the entire side of the moon that is facing you?

During a waxing crescent phase of the moon, the sun is illuminating only a portion of the side that faces Earth, creating the visible crescent shape. The unlit portion that faces Earth is not visible because there is no sunlight reflecting off of it to be seen from our perspective.


Why does the far side of the moon have few mare?

Because it faces the other side of earth.


Part of the moon that is thinner on the side facing earth?

The crust of the Moon is thinner on the side facing the Earth because the Moon is tidally locked with the Earth. This means that the Moon rotates at exactly the same rate it revolves around the Earth, so only one side of the Moon ever faces the Earth. Since the gravity of Earth acts on the Moon, the crust has been pulled slightly towards Earth on the side of the Moon facing Earth. Because of this, the crust of the Moon is thinner on one side than the other.


Do you see the same side of the moon?

Yes. Because of its locked orbit, the same side of the moon always faces the Earth.


A full moon happens when?

When the side of the moon that faces Earth (the same side of the moon always faces Earth) is fully bathed in sunlight. The Moon experiences day and night cycles, but it takes 28 days for the moon to complete a day/night cycle because of the Moon's relatively slow spin (which is what keeps the same side of the Moon facing Earth).