The moon rotates once per revolution around the Earth, but that’s not a coincidence. Somehow the rotation and revolution are connected to each other. Some force is keeping them the same. How exactly does that work?

  • Jeena@jemmy.jeena.net
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    1 year ago

    It’s not some force keeping them the same, it’s no force changes the speed of the moon. From my limited understanding the moon was created when a smaller planet crashed into the earth:

    They both got the same momentum, therefor they started rotating at the same speed, once per day.

    There is nothing out there which would be able to change the speed of the rotation of the moon. There is also nothing which would change the speed of the rotation of the earth. Therefor they keep spinning at the same speed.

    • TheWoozy@lemmy.fmhy.ml
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      1 year ago

      The moon rotates about once every 28ish days, the same as it’s orbit. That’s what being tidally locked means.