Image credit: Unsplash
Will Moon Disappear From Night Sky? What Study Says
5 August 2024
Image credit: Unsplash
A study by University of Wisconsin-Madison has revealed that the Moon is drifting away from Earth at 3.8 cm per year
Image credit: Unsplash
This drift is due to tidal forces generating friction between the Earth and the Moon
Image credit: Pexels
The movement will cause a day on Earth to increase to 25 hours, though this will take 200 million years
Image credit: Pexels
The study shows that 1.4 billion years ago, a day on Earth lasted just over 18 hours
Image credit: Pexels
Researchers were able to reveal the timeline after analysing a rock formation aged 90 million years
Image credit: Pexels
Stephen Meyers, a professor at the university, compared Earth to a spinning figure skater who "slows down as they stretch their arms out"
Image credit: Pexels
The Moon's recession is not a new discovery; it has been known for decades
Image credit: Pexels
However, this study delves deeper into the historical and geological context of this phenomenon
Image credit: Pexels
Scientists have also uncovered billions of years' worth of secrets buried beneath the surface of the Moon
Image credit: Unsplash
Check more stories
ndtv.com