What I find scientifically mind-boggling about the moon is that its rotation is such that we always see the same face of it. This seems to me to be an extraordinary coincidence...

Thats an easy one Alex, *the tidal pull of the earth through time has slowed the moons rotation around its axis to match the moon's orbital period, so that it has zero rotational momentum relative to the earth.

But the moon pulls back, and acts as a brake on the eastward spinning earth. Geologic findings (one the Pottsville Formation in Northern Alabama) indicate that 900 million years ago, a day on the then fast spinning earth, was only about 18 hours long.

But the same braking force was acting on the moon as well. And since the moon has only 1% of the mass of the earth, the moon "locked up" a long time ago and keeps the same side always facing the earth.

Then be it ours with steady mind to clasp
The purport of the skies-- the law behind
The wandering courses of the Sun and Moon.
________________________________________- Lucretius

* Adapted from Seeing in the Dark ~ Timothy Harris.