could our moon crash into us?

Answer 1

Yes, the Moon is receding from the Earth slowly. The reasons why have to do with tides and conservation of energy and angular momentum, and are about a college-junior-level homework problem to work out.

There is direct observational evidence for this. The Apollo 11, 14, and 15 astronauts left retroreflectors on the Moon, and the Soviets put retroreflectors on two of their unmanned lunar landers, just for this purpose. You can shoot a laser pulse through a telescope at one of these retroreflectors and some of the beam will be reflected back to the telescope. (The beam spreads out during the trip, 384,000 kilometers each way, so not all that much actually makes it back; you have to do this for a number of minutes to be sure that you got a good amount of measurements.) We know the speed of light with great accuracy, so if you measure how long it takes between your laser shot and the time the pulse returns, you get a very precise measurement of the distance between your telescope and the retroreflector on the Moon. A single good measurement gives an accuracy of about an inch. Measurements have been collected now for over 25 years.

The Moon's orbit around the Earth isn't a circle, so over the course of one month it moves towards and away from the Earth by a few per cent. This means a small number of measurements don't suffice to tell what's going on. If you track the Moon over time, though, it is clear that the Moon's orbit is slowly growing larger and that the Moon is moving away from the Earth. The net result is that the Moon is receding from the Earth at about 4 centimeters a year.

(Incidentally, this isn't the only evidence for recession of the Moon from the Earth. The ancients observed and recorded solar eclipses pretty well, and those observations don't match what one would expect based purely on unchanging Twentieth Century orbital parameters for the Moon.)

We aren't limited to doing this laser ranging trick to retroreflectors on the Moon. Several satellites have been equipped with these also and laser ranging of artificial satellites has been going on for a long time as well.

Answer 2

Actually the Moon is moving away from the Earth. According to the scientific theory of tides, some of the rotational energy of the Earth spinning is going into the Moon's orbit and making it larger. Both of these effects (slowing of the Earth and the Moon moving away) have been measured. In particular, the Moon distance is known very accurately because astronauts left special mirrors on the moon (called retroreflectors) and scientists on Earth bounce a laser off these mirrors and use it like a ruler. The Moon is currently moving away from the Earth about 4 centimeters (2 inches) per century.

However, if a VERY large body ever came flying VERY close to the Earth, it could disrupt the Moon's orbit. It probably wouldn't crash into us even then. I would give this a chance of about 1 in 1000000000000000... nothing to worry about!

Answer 3

Actually the moon is moving away from the earth at 1.5 in/ year, It's not going to crash

Answer 4

This challenge needs to ensue. If there is water on the moon the truth of making a ahead operating base of area exploration will be realized. From the moon we will be in a position to degree missions to Mars and with somewhat of success previous. with a view to make clinical progression this manner of element needs to ensue. there will be technologies enhanced or new aspects got here across which will dramatically boost our lives right here on earth. although if this study did not proceed we won't ever understand what opportunities were forgone...

Answer 5

I'm guessing that could only happen if we seriously mess up the gravitational pull between us and the moon. The moon could also be affected by the oceans.
But then again, I'm not sure. :/

Answer 6

yes...it would just take a push in the right direction by a really powerful object. the moon is actually thought to be a fragment of earth matter that was spun off when we were hit by a massive asteroid

Answer 7

If the Earth's mass grew considerably, yes it could happen. However, unless the Earth suddenly became 8 times larger, it would happen so slowly that it would probably take a generation to even notice that it's happening.

Answer 8

Doubtful. It would take an incredible amount of energy to push our moon out of its orbit into us.

Answer 9

No, the moon is actually get further and further away from us as time goes on.

Answer 10

May be after some billion years by which time there will be no life on earth.