Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!usc!apple!uokmax!jabishop
From: jabishop@uokmax.ecn.uoknor.edu (Jonathan A Bishop)
Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: Re: orbiting bodies
Message-ID: <1990Nov6.010422.26534@uokmax.ecn.uoknor.edu>
Date: 6 Nov 90 01:04:22 GMT
References: <129@ctbilbo.UUCP>
Organization: Engineering Computer Network, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK
Lines: 27

pete@ctbilbo.UUCP (Pete Ritter) writes:

>My collegues and I have been arguing about something.  We would like
>an expert opinion about it.

>Does the Moon rotate about its axis (or any other) as it orbits the Earth?

>If a non geo-stationary orbiting body always presents the same face to
>the Earth, does it rotate about its axis (or any other) as it orbits?

>Does a geo-stationary satellite which always presents the same face to
>its primary rotate about its axis (or any other) as it orbits?

In all of these cases, yes.  If the body did not rotate (relative to the
Sun), we would see the entire surface over the course of one revolution.
We don't see the other side because the period of rotation in these cases
is coincident with the period of revolution.

Now, my question:
Are the forces that synchronized the Moon's rotation and revolution the same
forces that have nearly done so with Venus relative to the Sun?  
Does this phenomena only happen in a narrow band?
-- 
jabishop@uokmax.ecn.uoknor.edu

"Ground Control to Major Tom: Your circuit's dead; there's something wrong.
Can you hear me, Major Tom?" -- David Bowie