Archive · 28 Sep 2025
Scientists Discover Moon is Drifting Away From Earth
The moon is slowly moving away from the Earth!
Scientists have found it's drifting about 1.5 inches farther each year.
They know this by shooting lasers at mirrors left on the moon.
This happens because of the moon's gravity pulling on Earth, especially on the oceans.
This creates bulges of water that face towards and away from the moon.
As the Earth spins, these bulges get dragged slightly ahead, and they tug back on the moon, pushing it a little further away in its orbit.
This also affects the tides we see on Earth.
Scientists have measured the moon drifting away from Earth.
The moon moves away at a rate of 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) per year.
Measurements are made using lasers bounced off mirrors on the moon.
The Moon's gravity creates bulges in Earth's oceans.
These bulges cause the Moon to move further away.
- Who
- Scientists
- What
- Discovered the Moon is moving away from Earth
- When
- Ongoing phenomenon
- Where
- Earth and Moon
- Why
- Due to tidal forces created by the Moon's gravity affecting Earth's oceans.
- Discovery
- Moon is moving away from Earth
- Distance Change
- 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) per year
- Measurement Method
- Laser beams bounced off mirrors on the moon
- Cause
- Tidal forces from Earth's and Moon's gravity
- Tidal Bulges
- Caused by the Moon's gravitational pull on Earth's oceans
- Result of bulges
- Bulges tug on the moon nudging it in its orbit