Question

Why is just one side of the Moon visible from Earth?

• A. The Moon does not rotate on its axis as it orbits earth.
• B. The Moon rotates once in the same amount of time that it orbits
• C. Half ofthe Moon is always unlit by the Sun
• D. Half of the Moon does not reflect light

Answer 1

The correct option is B The Moon rotates once in the same amount of time that it orbits

The Moon orbits Earth once every 27.3 days and spins on its axis once every 27.3 days. This means that although the Moon is rotating, it always keeps one face toward us. Known as “synchronous rotation,” this is why we only ever see the Moon's nearside from Earth.