The distant future of the Moon: from tidal drift to the Sun's final act
By
Phil Plait
Summary
This article explores the long-term fate of the Moon, examining its formation history, its gravitational relationship with Earth, and the eventual influence of the Sun. It discusses how the Moon formed from a giant impact, how tidal forces are slowly pushing it away from Earth, and what will happen billions of years from now as the Sun expands into a red giant. The piece blends astronomy, planetary science, and cosmic timescales to paint a picture of the Moon's distant future.
Source
bskyThe distant future of the Moon: from tidal drift to the Sun's final actscientificamerican.comKey quotes
· 4 pulledEvery time I see the moon in the sky, it makes me happy.
Much of its history is written on its face, with huge dark spots marking where ancient gigantic impacts scarred its surface, still visible after billions of years.
That future is tied up in how it formed, how it's gravitationally linked to Earth, and, in the end, what the sun has to say about all this.
The big picture of the moon's origin is fairly well established.
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