How does the moon's orientation change through the phases?

Markus Antonius

We only ever see one side of the moon, but for people in the same position (i.e Ireland) does the moon orient itself differently for us over the phases or throughout the year?

For example, I have traced out the lunar mare (or what I always thought was the "man on the moon"):

I've only ever noticed it like this, but as the phases change, does it ever rotate to something like this:

Googling this has proven pointless as they only ever talk about how the spin of the moon is synchronised with it's revolution around the earth (and thus why we only see one side), but this is not what I'm interested in.

coylemj

Google 'LIBRATION'.

Markus Antonius

This is exactly what I wanted, thank you sir.

It confirms what I observed on the new moon last week

Markus Antonius

It also answers the other question I had related to the clear observable rotation of the moon relative to the earth