08/07/2022
Did you know that the Moon has a gravitational pull on Earth, causing it to be slightly egg-shaped? It has a greater impact on water, causing tides and oceans to pile up on one side of the planet, forming a 'tidal bulge.' As the Moon orbits, this bulge is dragged along with it. Because Earth rotates faster than the Moon (24 hours versus 27.3 days), the bulge moves
slightly ahead of the Moon's orbit. The Moon pulls back on it, effectively slowing it down, causing the Earth's rotation rate to gradually slow down over time. The tugging between the two bodies causes the Earth to lose energy while the Moon gains energy.
The Moon is slowly spiralling outwards as a result of this energy boost, moving away from us by 3.8cm per year. Fascinating!
with Cosmic Adventures!
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