New Delhi. The moon has been present in the sky above the earth for centuries. It has inspired artists, poets and mystics, and mesmerized children. However, a research has said that our natural satellite Moon is slowly moving away from the Earth. This discovery seems straight out of science fiction. But it is based on careful scientific observation and analysis. A team from the University of Wisconsin-Madison found that the slow movement of the moon away from the Earth can have major implications. The study states that the moon is moving away from the Earth at a rate of about 3.8 centimeters per year.
According to new research, this will have a huge impact on the length of days on our planet. Eventually, this will result in a day on Earth lasting 25 hours in the next 200 million years. Research also shows that 1.4 billion years ago, a day on Earth lasted a little over 18 hours. This phenomenon occurs primarily due to the gravitational interaction between the Earth and the Moon. It is specifically due to the tidal forces exerted by the Earth and the Moon on each other.
Stephen Meyers, a professor of geology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said that the Earth is like a rotating figure skater. As the moon moves away, it slows down by spreading its arms. The moon moving away from the Earth is not a new discovery. It has been known for decades. However, the study of the University of Wisconsin-Madison delves deeply into the historical and geological context of this phenomenon.
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The researchers traced the history of the Earth-Moon system back billions of years. Their findings show that the Moon’s current retreat rate is relatively stable, while it has fluctuated over geological timescales due to a variety of factors, including Earth’s rotation speed and continental drift.
Tags: Earth, Moon orbit, the Moon’s orbit
FIRST PUBLISHED : August 3, 2024, 08:51 IST
