Synchronous rotation

Synchronous rotation In astronomy, synchronous rotation is a planetological term describing a body orbiting another, where the orbiting body takes as long to rotate on its axis as it does to make one orbit; ...

Definition: synchronous rotation: Said of a satellite if the period of its rotation about its axis is the same as the period of its orbit around its primary. This implies that the satellite always keeps the same hemisphere facing its primary (e.g.

Synchronous rotation- said of a satellite if the period of its rotation about its axis is the same as the period of its orbit around its primary; this implies that the satellite always keeps the same hemisphere facing its primary (e.g. the moon); ...

Synchronous Rotation A period of rotation of a satellite about its axis that is the same as the period of its orbit around its primary. This causes the satellite to always keep the same face to the primary.

synchronous rotation -- the condition that a body's rotation period is the same as its orbital period. The Moon rotates synchronously.

Synchronous Rotation - Rotation for which the period of rotation is equal to the period of revolution. An example of synchronous rotation is the Moon, for which the period of rotation and the period of revolution about the Earth are both 1 month ...

Synchronous Rotation Rotation whose period is equal to the orbital period. Synchrotron ...

The Moon is in synchronous rotation, which means it rotates about its axis in about the same time it takes to orbit the Earth. This results in it keeping nearly the same face turned towards the Earth at all times.

Tidally locking (or synchronous rotation of the star and planet) may eventually cause the destruction of a life-sustaining atmosphere through condensation on the cold, perpetually dark side of the planet.

The same side of the moon always faces the Earth; it is in a synchronous rotation with the Earth. The Moon's orbit is expanding over time as it slows down (the Earth is also slowing down as it loses energy).

(Pluto, however, is the only planet that also is in synchronous rotation to its moon, Charon). Since our moon is so large in proportion with the earth, it's exerting its own tidal pull - witness the tides of the ocean.

Prior to 1965, astronomers believed that Mercury's sidereal rotation matched its orbital period of 88 days (synchronous rotation). This belief was reinforced by the chance coincidence of six 58.

Most of the satellites have a synchronous rotation. The exceptions are Hyperion, which has a chaotic orbit, and Phoebe. Saturn has a regular system of satellites. That is, the satellites have nearly circular orbits and lie in the equatorial plane.

A satellite is in synchronous orbit (also called synchronous rotation) when its orbital period is the same as its period of rotation about its axis. The Moon is in a synchronous orbit, so the same side of the moon always faces Earth.

Captured rotation. Rotation of an object that spins at the same rate as that object takes to orbit another object. Sometimes referred to as synchronous rotation. The Moon is a good example of an object that has captured rotation.

A simple relationship between the orbital and spin periods of a satellite or planet, caused by tidal forces that have slowed the rate of rotation of the orbiting body. Synchronous rotation is the simplest and most common form of spin-orbit coupling.

Astronomers were reluctant to drop the synchronous rotation theory and proposed alternative mechanisms such as powerful heat-distributing winds to explain the observations, ...

These two moons are shaped irregularly and are probably asteroids that were caught by Mars' gravitational pull a long time ago. Neither is large enough to become spherical, and both have synchronous rotations enabling them to always keep the same ...

Atmospheric pressure from mariner 7 3.5 millibars. The core is probably liquid ni-fe. two tiny satellites (phobos and deimos), both of which are locked in synchronous rotation with mars. [H76] Mascons ...

8 days, consistent with "synchronous rotation," the stars perpetually showing the same "faces" to each other. The pair illuminates the local interstellar dust to create a huge faint reflection nebula 80 light years across.

See also: Rotation, Orbit, Solar, Sun, Earth