Tidal forces gave moon its shape early in its history, new analysis finds
Thursday, July 31, 2014 - 03:31
in Astronomy & Space
The shape of the moon deviates from a simple sphere in ways that scientists have struggled to explain. A new study shows that most of the moon's overall shape can be explained by taking into account tidal effects acting early in the moon's history. The results provide insights into the moon's early history, its orbital evolution, and its current orientation in the sky.