The Earth and moon have been locked in a gravitational dance for billions of years. Each day, as the Earth turns, the moon tugs upon the oceans of the world, causing the rise and fall of tides. As a result, the Earth's day gets a little bit longer, and the moon gets a little more distant. The effect is small, but over geologic time it adds up. About 620 million years ago, a day on Earth was only 22 hours long, and the moon was at least 10,000 km closer than it is now.
Early Earth's oceans of magma may have accelerated the moon's departure
Phys.org - 12 Dec 2024 21:16
The Earth and moon have been locked in a gravitational dance for billions of years. Each day, as the Earth turns, the moon tugs upon the oceans of the world, causing the rise and fall of tides. As a result, the Earth's day gets a little bit longer, and the moon gets a little more distant. The effect is small, but over geologic time it adds up. About 620 million years ago, a day on Earth was only 22 hours long, and the moon was at least 10,000 km closer than it is now.
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