Man in the Moon then cooled, becoming smooth, basalt rock. The near side of the Moon, containing these maria that make up the man, is always facing Earth. This is due to a tidal locking or synchronous orbit. Thought to have occurred because of the gravitational forces partially caused by the Moon's oblong shape, its rotation has slowed to the point where it rotates exactly once on each trip around the Earth. This causes the near side of the Moon to always turn its face toward Earth. Man in the Moon The Man in the Moon refers to any of several pareidolic images of
Total eclipses on the Moon Total eclipses on the Moon Total solar eclipses on the Moon are caused when the Earth passes in front of the Sun, blocking much its light. Viewers on Earth will see a total lunar eclipse. The last total solar eclipse on the Moon was in July 2018. Unlike the Earth which sees its eclipse for up to 2 1/2 hours the longest in one area as the Moon's shadow touches for over 5 1/2 hours the longest. Some of the eclipses on the Moon lasts for about 5 hours in one area the longest as the Earth's shadow touches for