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Why does the moon always keep the same face towards Earth?

Why does the moon always keep the same face towards Earth?

“The moon keeps the same face pointing towards the Earth because its rate of spin is tidally locked so that it is synchronized with its rate of revolution (the time needed to complete one orbit). In other words, the moon rotates exactly once every time it circles the Earth.

What causes the apparent retrograde motion of the planets?

What causes the apparent retrograde motion of the planets? Apparent retrograde motion is an illusion created by turbulence in Earth’s atmosphere. 3. As Earth passes another planet, its gravitational pull slows down the other planet so that it appears to be traveling backward.

Is the hypothesis that the seasons are caused by a variable distance between the Earth and the Sun verified or falsified by the evidence?

Is the hypothesis that the seasons are caused by a variable distance between the Earth and the Sun verified or falsified by the evidence? The hypothesis is falsified because some of the evidence is against it.

Why is there an angle between the ecliptic and the celestial equator?

The ecliptic plane is inclined at 23.5° with respect to the celestial equator because of the tilt of the Earth’s rotation axis with respect to the plane of its orbit around the sun.

Why does the Moon always keep the same face toward Earth quizlet?

The same side of the Moon always faces the Earth because the Moon spins once on its axis in exactly the same amount of time that the Moon revolves around the Earth. As the moon revolves around Earth, Earth revolves around the Sun.

What does the fact that we always see the same face of the Moon tells us about?

The fact that we always see the same face of the Moon tells us that: The Moon’s rotation period is the same as its orbital period.

Does the Moon have retrograde motion?

There are real retrograde motions in the solar system. Some moons also have retrograde orbits around their planets. Most of the large moons orbit in the same direction that their planet spins. But not Triton, the largest moon of Neptune.

What do we mean by the apparent retrograde motion of the planets Why was this motion difficult for ancient astronomers to explain how do we explain it today?

it is called apparent retrograde motion of the planets when planets reverse course and move westward through the zodiac. it was difficult for ancient astronomers to explain because they believed that the earth was the center of the universe.

Why do we always see the same side of the moon quizlet?

We always see the same side of the moon because the moon rotates on its axis, and revolves around Earth in the same amount of time.

When the sun and moon are lined up and pull together the tides they raise are called?

When the sun and moon are lined up and pull together, the tides the raise are called: spring tides.

How is the ecliptic different from the celestial equator?

The celestial equator is the enlargement of the earth’s equator to the celestial sphere. Therefore, the celestial equator can be represented by a line fixed on the celestial sphere. The ecliptic is a line connecting where the sun is located in the celestial globe for one year.

Why does the Moon go through phases quizlet?

The moon’s phases are caused by the changing angles of the earth’s shadows and reflected sunlight as the moon revolves around the Earth over the course of about 1 month (28 days). The path of the Earth around the sun. Phases. Shapes of the moon that changes depending on how it reflects the light from the sun.

Why does the size and brightness of the full moon change?

When the Earth (and therefore the Moon) is at its perihelion, the closest point in its orbit to the Sun, the sunlight that reflects off the Moon is slightly more intense, causing the full moon’s brightness to increase by about 4%, which is imperceptible by the human eye.

Why is the Moon the same size as the Sun?

The Moon and Sun have virtually the same angular size in our sky because the Sun is about 400 times wider than the Moon, but it’s also about 400 times farther away. This allows us to see spectacular coronal displays and prominences during total solar eclipses.

Why does the Moon appear bright in the night sky?

The moon only seems bright in the night sky because it is so close to the earth and because the trees, houses, and fields around you are so dark at night. In fact, the moon is one of the least reflective objects in the solar system.

What happens when the Sun and Moon are opposite each other?

An equally interesting, if less dramatic, event occurs when the sun and moon are exactly opposite each other in our sky. This is when the moon is normally full, and very bright. But if the alignment is precise enough, the earth will block the sun’s light from reaching the moon. This event is called a lunar eclipse.