The moon is not a perfect sphere; it's more accurately described as an egg-shaped or oblate spheroid with a bulge on the side facing Earth.
While we often picture the Moon as a perfectly round sphere, this isn't entirely accurate. Its shape deviates slightly from a perfect sphere due to several factors:
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Tidal Forces: The primary reason for the Moon's irregular shape is the gravitational pull of the Earth. Over billions of years, this force has stretched the Moon, creating a bulge on the side closest to our planet. Imagine a gentle squeeze that elongates the shape slightly.
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Not Perfectly Spherical: More precisely, this bulge makes it an oblate spheroid, but due to the uneven distribution of mass and the effect of tidal forces creating the bulge on the Earth-facing side, the "egg shape" description is more apt. It's as if one end of the egg (the larger part) is perpetually pointed toward Earth.
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Mass Distribution: The distribution of mass within the Moon isn't uniform. Denser regions affect the gravitational field and contribute to the overall shape.
In summary, although often referred to as spherical for simplicity, the Moon's true shape is a slightly distorted sphere, best described as egg-shaped because of its bulge towards Earth, technically making it an oblate spheroid.
