concept

Synchronous rotation

Orbital mechanicsPlanetary sciencePandora canon

The consequence of tidal locking: a body's spin period equals its orbital period around its host, in a 1:1 resonance. It does not mean one face is permanently dark - the body still turns relative to the star lighting it, so it still has day and night; only the face toward its host stays fixed. This is the single most common misconception about Pandora.

See also

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