Astronomical fact(oids)

[lunoob]

Split from:

http://linuxgraphicsusers.com/forum/index.php?topic=869.0

Funny, I did the same kind of thing a while back, but looking from the other side of the moon.   http://linuxgraphicsusers.com/forum/index.php?topic=352.0

Technically you got it wrong too. The moon is in a synchronous orbit around the Earth, so that the same side of the moon always faces the Earth.

Artistic license nowithstanding?  

Cheers

Okay, when I did it I couldn't remember if the same side always faced the Earth or always faced the Sun.  

I'll try to develop a habit of decent research before doing such silliness.  

[Edit] Wiki research reveals:
                                    

The Moon is in synchronous rotation, meaning that it keeps the same face turned toward the Earth at all times. This synchronous rotation is only true on average because the Moon's orbit has a definite eccentricity. As a result, the angular velocity of the Moon varies as it moves around the Earth, and is hence not always equal to the Moon's rotational velocity. When the Moon is at its perigee, its rotation is slower than its orbital motion, and this allows us to see up to eight degrees of longitude of its eastern (right) far side. Conversely, when the Moon reaches its apogee, its rotation is faster than its orbital motion and this reveals eight degrees of longitude of its western (left) far side. This is referred to as longitudinal libration.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon_orbit

 

[Jaws]

Okay, when I did it I couldn't remember if the same side always faced the Earth or always faced the Sun.  

I'll try to develop a habit of decent research before doing such silliness.  

[Edit] Wiki research reveals:
                                    

The Moon is in synchronous rotation, meaning that it keeps the same face turned toward the Earth at all times. This synchronous rotation is only true on average because the Moon's orbit has a definite eccentricity. As a result, the angular velocity of the Moon varies as it moves around the Earth, and is hence not always equal to the Moon's rotational velocity. When the Moon is at its perigee, its rotation is slower than its orbital motion, and this allows us to see up to eight degrees of longitude of its eastern (right) far side. Conversely, when the Moon reaches its apogee, its rotation is faster than its orbital motion and this reveals eight degrees of longitude of its western (left) far side. This is referred to as longitudinal libration.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon_orbit

Well of course, everyone knows that, but I didn't want to confuse you any further.  

Cheers

[rji]

Okay, when I did it I couldn't remember if the same side always faced the Earth or always faced the Sun.   

To be fair there isn't a normal photograph of the entire dark side of the moon, at least none that I've found in the images that NASA has published on the web.  Hopefully the lunar orbiter that went up last week will fix that.  It is supposed to map the entire surface of the moon.  Of course there may be a giant all-knowing obelisk on the dark side of the moon which would prevent the release of any images from that side.   

[Jaws]

Apollo 16 image below of far side...

Of course there may be a giant all-knowing obelisk

Astonishing Intelligent Artifacts(?) Found On Mysterious Far Side Of The Moon

http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/luna/esp_luna_35.htm

Cheers

[rji]

Apollo 16 image below of far side...

Not the entire far side, though. 

Of course there may be a giant all-knowing obelisk

Astonishing Intelligent Artifacts(?) Found On Mysterious Far Side Of The Moon

http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/luna/esp_luna_35.htm

Cheers

That is almost as good as the theory that the moon landings were faked.   

[rji]

I may have spoke too soon, I spotted this in the first LRO images posted to the web.

[rnojonson]

Same side of the moon, either the moon is flat or the moon is mooning us.