Actually, this is not an accurate description of the moon’s motion. Its
orbit is not geosynchronous. But it spin rate is equal to its own
revolution rate.
From: Bob Sciamanda
Sent: Saturday, December 03, 2011 9:12 AM
To: Forum for Physics Educators
Subject: Re: [Phys-l] Coriolis effect puzzlement
Keep clear the difference between a satellite (eg. the moon) which acts as
if it and the rotating mother body constitute a single, rotating rigid body,
and a satellite which maintains its orientation in space. The contents of
the latter satelite have no intrinsic spin; the moon type satellite
necessarily has spin. The C.G.s of both satellite types are in centripetal
acceleration.