Scientists found out when the Earth will lose its Moon
(ORDO NEWS) — Scientists said that every year the moon moves away from the Earth by 3.8 cm. It turns out that the orbit of our planet’s satellite is quite unstable. Distance occurs due to the effect of gravitation on each other. This is reported by Live Science.
It is known that the moon’s gravity is the cause of the tides. So, the same effect is exerted on the satellite and our planet. And since there is no water on the Moon, Earth’s gravity simply deforms its shape and pushes it away.
Madeleine Blum from the University of California in Santa Cruz (USA) told a little more about the gravity of the Earth and the Moon. It turns out that the satellite also affects the rotation of the planet around the axis.
Before the appearance of the satellite, the Earth rotated much faster. It is hard to believe today, but according to scientists, a day on the planet without the Moon lasted only 5 hours. It was almost 4.5 billion years ago.
Madeleine says that the satellite and the planet form a system that is connected by the gravity of these two cosmic objects. And it is also very important that the center of the gravitational-interacting system does not shift. Otherwise, the moment of momentum (energy in a rotating object.) may change.
We know that we can see only one side of the Moon from Earth. This is because the satellite and our planet rotate at the same speed around their axes. If the angular momentum weakens, the gravitational system will also change. In this case, a number of natural disasters may occur on Earth, and millions of people will die.
After modeling the Moon-Earth system and entering all the data into it, scientists learned that it will end in about 5 billion years. The planet and the satellite will move away from each other to a fatally large distance. By the way, the Sun will also die around this time. And for now, Humans have enough time in reserve to find a habitable planet and evacuate from it before the end of Earth.
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The Moon is Earth’s natural satellite and is the fifth-largest moon in the solar system. It is a celestial body that orbits around the Earth, completing one orbit in approximately 27.3 days, which is also the same amount of time it takes to rotate on its axis. As a result, the Moon always presents the same face to the Earth, a phenomenon known as “tidal locking.”
The Moon is approximately one-fourth the size of Earth and has a diameter of about 3,474 kilometers (2,159 miles). It has a surface area of about 37.9 million square kilometers (14.6 million square miles), which is roughly equivalent to the combined land areas of Africa, Europe, and Antarctica.
The Moon lacks an atmosphere, so it is devoid of air, weather, and liquid water. Its surface is covered by various geological features, including impact craters, plains called maria (formed by ancient lava flows), mountains, valleys, and rugged terrain. The Moon’s surface is predominantly gray and covered with a layer of fine dust called regolith.
The Moon has played a significant role in human culture, religion, and scientific exploration. It has been a subject of fascination and inspiration for countless civilizations throughout history. The Moon’s gravitational pull influences the tides on Earth and has had an impact on navigation and timekeeping.
In the 20th century, the Moon became the focus of space exploration efforts. On July 20, 1969, the Apollo 11 mission successfully landed astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the Moon, making them the first humans to set foot on another celestial body. Subsequent missions also sent astronauts to the Moon, collecting valuable data and samples.
Scientific study of the Moon has revealed insights into its formation, composition, and geology. It is believed to have formed about 4.5 billion years ago as a result of a giant impact between Earth and a Mars-sized object called Theia. The Moon’s composition is similar to that of Earth’s crust, but it lacks the significant amounts of water and atmosphere found on our planet.
In summary, the Moon is Earth’s natural satellite, orbiting around our planet. It has no atmosphere, distinctive surface features, and has played a significant role in human culture and scientific exploration.
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