GroinShotz t1_ja0yr18 wrote
Reply to comment by fleranon in Today I Learned that the moon distances itself from the Earth by about 3,78 cm(1.49 inches) every year. by LucasOIntoxicado
One theory states that the moon will eventually slowly creep back towards us eventually becoming a ring (like Saturn's rings)... If the Sun doesn't engulf us by then.
>Eventually, Earth’s rotation will slow until it, too, is locked to the moon’s orbital period. At this point, Earth will still be rotating faster than it orbits the sun and the smaller tidal bulge due to the sun’s gravity will continue to slow Earth’s rotation.
>Earth’s tidal bulge will then begin to lag the moon’s orbital motion, the pull will be acting in reverse and the moon will slowly start to spiral back towards the Earth.
>The moon will move ever closer until it reaches 18,470 km (11,470 miles) above the Earth, a point known as the Roche limit. This is the radius inside which the tidal forces pulling objects apart exceed their mutual attraction due to gravity.
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