Moon Drifting Away, Earth Could Have 25 Hours in A Day

Moon’s Drift: The Moon is gradually drifting away from Earth at a rate of approximately 3.8 centimeters per year. This drift is due to gravitational interactions between the Earth and the Moon, specifically the tidal forces they exert on each other.

Impact on Earth’s Rotation:

Lengthening Days: As the Moon moves away, it causes Earth’s rotation to slow down. This means that over time, the length of a day on Earth will increase.

Future Prediction: According to the study, in about 200 million years, a day on Earth could last 25 hours instead of the current 24 hours.

Historical Context: The research also shows that 1.4 billion years ago, a day on Earth lasted just over 18 hours.

About Moon

The Moon is Earth’s only natural satellite and has many fascinating characteristics.

Orbit and Distance: The Moon orbits Earth at an average distance of about 384,400 kilometers (239,000 miles).

Size and Mass: It has a diameter of approximately 3,475 kilometers (2,160 miles) and a mass that is about 1.2% of Earth’s.

Tidal Locking: The Moon is tidally locked with Earth, meaning we always see the same side of the Moon. This is because its rotation period matches its orbital period.

Phases: The Moon goes through a cycle of phases, from new moon to full moon and back, over about 29.5 days.

Surface Features: The Moon’s surface is covered with craters, mountains, and plains called maria, which are large, dark basaltic plains formed by ancient volcanic eruptions.

Exploration: Humans first landed on the Moon in 1969 during NASA’s Apollo 11 mission.

Influence on Earth: The Moon’s gravitational pull is the main driver of Earth’s tides.

It also stabilizes Earth’s axial tilt, which helps maintain a relatively stable climate.