Why the Moon is slowly moving away from Earth and what it means

The Moon’s average distance from Earth of 384,400 km. PIC/AFP

Over the past 250 years, the Moon has moved about 31 feet away from the Earth than it is now.

It is currently drifting away from Earth at a rate of about 3.8 cm per year, which is coincidentally roughly the same speed at which human fingernails grow.

While 31 feet may sound significant, against the Moon's average distance from Earth of 384,400 km, it's effectively nothing.

In fact, the moon's elliptical orbit causes its distance from Earth to vary by about 43,000 km every month as it moves between perigee, its closest point to Earth, and apogee, its farthest.

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