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Synchronous Rotation (view source)
Revision as of 01:33, November 13, 2007
, 01:33, November 13, 2007New page: A satellite is said to rotate synchronously 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 alwa...
A [[satellite]] is said to rotate synchronously 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]]). It also implies that one hemisphere (the leading hemisphere) always faces in the direction of the satellite's motion while the other (trailing) one always faces backward. Most of the [[satellites]] in the [[solar system]] rotate synchronously.
==References==
*[http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/dictionary/index.cfm?Letter=S NASA Glossary]
[[Category:Astronomy]]
==References==
*[http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/dictionary/index.cfm?Letter=S NASA Glossary]
[[Category:Astronomy]]