<p>It would be noticeable from an astronomy perspective in that we would be able to see all faces of the Moon.</p>
<p>However, it would have a negligible effect on our tides.  The Moon is not a gravitationally symmetric body (see <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_concentration_(astronomy)#Lunar_mascons" rel="nofollow noreferrer">mascons</a>), but our Earth tidal deviations are mostly due to the Moon's eccentric orbit and the positive or negative interference with tides due to the Sun.</p>
<p>On the Moon, significant tidal deformation would be taking place due to the Earth's gravity.  Some of this energy would be <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tidal_heating" rel="nofollow noreferrer">released as heat</a>, so we might also get to see volcanic activity on the Moon.</p>
<p>Over a longer time period, as the Moon tidally locked, we would expect to see an evolution of its orbit, either inward or outward, depending on its spin direction.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-12-23T17:29:53.973Z
2021-12-23T17:29:53.973Z
Connor Garcia
<p>The Moon is in synchronous rotation, meaning the same side of the Moon is always pointing towards the Earth. My intuition is that it wouldn't make any difference (other than the fact that the whole surface of the Moon would be visible). But maybe there is something I didn't think of.</p>
<p>What would be different on Earth if the rotation of the Moon wasn't synchronous?</p>

<the-moon>
Would anything be different on Earth if the rotation of the Moon wasn't synchronous?
usernumber
# Would anything be different on Earth if the rotation of the Moon wasn't synchronous?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-12-23)

The Moon is in synchronous rotation, meaning the same side of the Moon is always pointing towards the Earth. My intuition is that it wouldn't make any difference (other than the fact that the whole surface of the Moon would be visible). But maybe there is something I didn't think of.

What would be different on Earth if the rotation of the Moon wasn't synchronous?

**Tags:** the-moon


---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2021-12-23. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

It would be noticeable from an astronomy perspective in that we would be able to see all faces of the Moon.

However, it would have a negligible effect on our tides. The Moon is not a gravitationally symmetric body (see [mascons](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_concentration_(astronomy)#Lunar_mascons)), but our Earth tidal deviations are mostly due to the Moon's eccentric orbit and the positive or negative interference with tides due to the Sun.

On the Moon, significant tidal deformation would be taking place due to the Earth's gravity. Some of this energy would be [released as heat](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tidal_heating), so we might also get to see volcanic activity on the Moon.

Over a longer time period, as the Moon tidally locked, we would expect to see an evolution of its orbit, either inward or outward, depending on its spin direction.


---

