Does the moon rotate on an axis like the earth?
Yes it does. Many people have heard that the same side of the moon always faces the earth, and because of this, many think that the moon does not rotate. It does rotate, exactly once for each orbit around the earth. Imagine looking down on the Earth and Moon from above the Earth’s north pole. To illustrate this, place two coins on a table-top, one for the earth and one for the moon. Choose a reference point on the “moon” coin and place it closest to the earth (e.g., Lincoln’s head on a penny). Now move the “moon” in a circle around the “earth” coin but keep Lincoln’s head pointing to the earth. You will see that to accomplish this, you must rotate the penny exactly once for every trip around the earth. To see an animated version of the graphic you see to the right, click HERE.
