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What % of the moon can be seen from earth?
 
Posts: 183 | Location: mi | Registered: 08-19-04Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
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The "near side" of the moon always faces Earth, because the moon's rotation is locked to its orbital motion around the Earth. So the quick answer is "50%."

In reality, I seem to recall that it's a little more than 50% owing to some east-west wobble as seen from the Earth.

Sorry, no sources -- I'll defer to others for an authoritative answer.
 
Posts: 2067 | Location: U.S. | Registered: 06-03-02Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
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Surprisingly more than a little...

Q5. What percentage of the Moon's surface is visible from the Earth?

A5. 59% due to a phenomenon called libration. (The Moon's orbit is not a perfect circle, so at some points in its orbit, it is turned slightly eastward, and at other points it is turned slightly westward, allowing us to see more than 50% of its surface from the Earth.)

http://home.adelphia.net/~chassler/trivia_quiz100.html
 
Posts: 161 | Location: San Antonio, TX US of A | Registered: 06-03-02Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
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Thanks to decal, and armed with the word libration, I found a couple of other sites:
Stargazing.net gives a full explanation; and here is a striking animation clearing showing the wobble (which is both longitudinal as well as lateral).
 
Posts: 2067 | Location: U.S. | Registered: 06-03-02Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
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