The Moon is further from Earth every year! Earth and the Moon have one of the most incredible cosmic links that we can observe from our planet. Thanks to gravity between both of them, we have tides and Earth’s rotation which have been studied among other astronomic effects. What scientists have found is that the Moon is moving slowly further, which helps them understand questions like the future of the planet and our solar system.
The Moon has been a trendy topic on NASA’s missions, but this time it has a bigger impact on Earth. So, let’s find out what’s happening with the satellite.
The Moon and Earth
Our natural satellite is making some moves that we can’t notice from Earth, but it is further from Earth, more than what we knew. Although we didn’t know, scientists have been studying this phenomenon for more than 50 years! So, it’s not something new…
Currently, the Moon is around 238,85 miles of average distance from the Earth’s surface. However, this distance is changing little by little and it’s been known for decades and NASA has confirmed this increasing distancing through some precise processes.
Scientists knew this way before
Thanks to laser rays from Earth to mirrors on the Moon during the Apollo missions. The distance between the Moon and Earth can be calculated by measuring how long light takes to come back. Once they had these measures, they could confirm the Moon moves 1.5 inches further every year. This might seem like nothing, but it means a lot to the scientific community.
Why is this happening?
The Moon was formed about 4.5 billion years ago and Earth rotated way faster than now, which created an interaction with our satellite’s gravity. This is what has started this slow distancing of the satellite.
This phenomenon is due to the tides interaction, when the Moon’s gravity affects the oceans on Earth (making tides) and the planet itself. This friction between Earth’s rotation and the Moon’s attraction makes the Earth’s rotation to be slower. What happens then? The satellite is further from us every year.
The end of this distancing
This won’t last forever, scientists say there will be a moment when Earth and the satellite will be tidally locked, meaning they will always show the same side to each other.
We are now used to seeing the same side of the Moon because it is already synchronized with us. In the future, Earth will rotate so slow too that only one hemisphere will always face the satellite whereas the other will never see it. This will affect tides interaction because they will be balanced and the Moon will stop moving away, but it will take so much time until this happens.
Our satellite is disappearing
Yes, it will, but not in the way you might be thinking. In about 50 billion years, the Sun will become a huge red star, increasing its size in a way you can’t imagine. This will consume nearby planets, Earth included. So, if our planet disappears, it means our satellite will too because the Sun will destroy everything nearby.
Should we worry about it?
Not really, because this will happen in millions and even billions of years. So, it won’t affect our everyday life nor will it be a current risk, but it’s really interesting for further scientific studies.
As always, science is showing how fascinating space and its elements are. Also, the many things that are happening right now out there and we don’t even notice, what is to become of us without NASA’s studies? I’m sure we would be worse than we are now.