Moon: Tidal Locking
Interactive simulation — adjust parameters and watch the visualization update in real time.
How it works
Tidal coupling raised bulges on the early Moon; gravitational torque tends to align the longest axis toward the primary. Over billions of years the Moon settled into synchronous rotation: one lunar day equals one orbit around Earth, so one side faces us persistently.
Key equations
Stable when orbital angular velocity equals spin rate; related to Earth–Moon tides (see also Earth–Moon Tides sim).