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#1 out of 1
12h ago
Is the Moon drifting away from the Earth?
- The Moon is moving away from Earth at about 3.8 centimeters per year due to tidal forces between the two bodies.
- Laser ranging measures the Moon’s distance by bouncing light off mirrors placed on the Moon by astronauts and probes.
- As the Earth spins, tidal bulges lead the Moon slightly, pulling it forward and increasing its orbit.
- The Moon’s increasing distance causes Earth’s rotation to slow slightly, lengthening the day over time.
- In the far future, the Earth and Moon may become tidally locked, stopping the Moon’s gradual drift.
- The Sun’s evolution will eventually halt large tidal effects by boiling away Earth's oceans.
- Despite the drift, daily life and events like eclipses will continue for millions of years.
- Historical context shows the Moon formed about 4.5 billion years ago and was closer to Earth then.
- Fossil evidence suggests Earth’s day length has increased from about 23.5 hours around 70 million years ago.
- The Moon’s distance fluctuates within a month due to its elliptical orbit.
- Future astronomy will continue to monitor Earth–Moon dynamics as part of ongoing science outreach.
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