If the moon and earth are in synchronous rotation, and we only see one part of the moon, then does it mean that different parts of the globe see the other side of the moon?

Question

turingtest · Answer

The moon is rotating in such a way that the same side is always illuminated. We all see both sides, but only one has sunlight reflecting off it. 

Don't confuse the idea that we all "see the same side of the moon" with the idea that the same side of the moon is always facing a particular part of the globe, because that is not true. We all "see" both sides of the moon because we all see the both the dark and light side. 

When people say we always see the same part of the moon they mean that the same part is always illuminated by the sun, that is all.

anonymous · Answer

Thanks so much. Made sense to me at last!

turingtest · Answer

that's all I can hope for :)

anonymous · Answer

No matter where you are on earth you will always see the same 59 % of the moon's surface: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c0/Lunar_libration_with_phase2.gif

anonymous · Answer

Also the moon has NO "dark side". Both sides of the moon (the one we see and the one we don't see) are illuminated alternately.

turingtest · Answer

Yes, I'm sorry, I really misspoke. What I meant is that the same side of the moon is always facing the earth, but not the same location on the earth. The earth turns more rapidly than the moon revolves around it, so the sun illuminates both sides in the course of a month, but the side that we see illuminated is always the same.