answersLogoWhite

0

Yes slightly the Earth's gravitational pull can change it. Moons of Jupiter and moons with an elliptical orbit even more so. For example Europa (a moon a Jupiter) gets pulled and squashed constantly due to its elliptical orbit and the gravitational pull of Jupiter and two other of its moons, Eyo and Ganemede

User Avatar

Wiki User

12y ago

What else can I help you with?

Continue Learning about Astronomy

Can the moon change shape?

The moon does not actually change shape, but its appearance from Earth does. This is due to its orbit around the Earth, which causes different portions of the moon to be illuminated by the sun at different times.


Why do we have different phases of the moon?

The different phases of the moon are caused by the relative positions of the sun, Earth, and moon. As the moon orbits Earth, different portions of its illuminated half are visible from our perspective. This causes the moon to appear to change shape from a new moon (when it is not visible) to a full moon (when it appears fully illuminated).


Does the moon appear to change shape because of the Earth's shadow on the moon?

No. The earth's shadow on the moon is a lunar eclipse. The moon appears to change shape depending on which part of orbit the earth is in. The sun is almost always shining on one half of the moon (excluding during a lunar eclipse).


Why does the illuminated part of the moon appear to change shape?

Because the earth blocks part of the light coming from the sun so only part of the moon is alluminated, causing it to look like it is changing shape.


What causes the moon to change it's shape?

The moon does not change shapes. The shadow of the earth on the moon changes how much of it you can see.Another viewpoint: I think this question is about the "phases" of the Moon.The Moon only appears to change shape during its different phases.Exactly one half of the Moon is in sunlight at any time. The phases occur because the Moon orbits Earth. That causes us to see different amounts of the sunlit Moon, and so its shape seems to change.

Related Questions

Can the moon change shape?

The moon does not actually change shape, but its appearance from Earth does. This is due to its orbit around the Earth, which causes different portions of the moon to be illuminated by the sun at different times.


Why does the moon appear to change shape in the night sky?

The moon appears to change shape in the night sky because of its position relative to the Earth and the Sun. As the moon orbits the Earth, different portions of its illuminated surface are visible from our perspective, creating the phases of the moon.


Why do we have different phases of the moon?

The different phases of the moon are caused by the relative positions of the sun, Earth, and moon. As the moon orbits Earth, different portions of its illuminated half are visible from our perspective. This causes the moon to appear to change shape from a new moon (when it is not visible) to a full moon (when it appears fully illuminated).


Does the moon appear to change shape because of the Earth's shadow on the moon?

No. The earth's shadow on the moon is a lunar eclipse. The moon appears to change shape depending on which part of orbit the earth is in. The sun is almost always shining on one half of the moon (excluding during a lunar eclipse).


Why does the illuminated part of the moon appear to change shape?

Because the earth blocks part of the light coming from the sun so only part of the moon is alluminated, causing it to look like it is changing shape.


Does the sunlit portion of the moon always face the Earth?

Yes, but different portions (size of area) of the moon reflect sunlight throughout the moon cycles which causes the moon to change shape.


What causes the moon to change it's shape?

The moon does not change shapes. The shadow of the earth on the moon changes how much of it you can see.Another viewpoint: I think this question is about the "phases" of the Moon.The Moon only appears to change shape during its different phases.Exactly one half of the Moon is in sunlight at any time. The phases occur because the Moon orbits Earth. That causes us to see different amounts of the sunlit Moon, and so its shape seems to change.


Why does the moon appear to change shape as it orbits the earth?

Because the light from the sun reflects of the moon so when the moon orbits the sun which means you can only see the part of the moon that has light reflecting off it


The curved shadow on the moon during a lunar eclipse is evidence of earth's what?

The curved shadow on the moon during a lunar eclipse is evidence of Earth's round shape. The Earth's shadow that falls on the moon is always curved because of the spherical shape of the Earth, which causes the shadow to appear rounded.


How does moon's shape and position change over time?

The moon's shape would change with the impact of meteor's, changing the moon's landscape.


What causes the shadow which makes the moon change its shape?

The shadow is caused by the earth blocking the path of the light from the sun casting shadow on the moon. When the earth is not in between the sun and the moon then we have a "full moon."


What causes the moon to change its shape over the course of about a month?

The moon does not really change shape- its visible outline changes. This is due to the angle of sunlight falling on the moon in relation to the earth. If the sunlight is shining at a 90 degree angle from one side, then half the moon is illuminated and visible, half is dark.