However, if the Moon were to move closer to Earth, the gravitational force from our planet would increase. This would also cause the Moon to accelerate significantly.
As the Moon moves closer to Earth, its orbit would become faster and faster.
Currently, the Moon completes one orbit around Earth approximately every 27 days. This would no longer be true if the Moon were closer to our planet. Additionally, with the increased visibility and speed of the Moon, lunar eclipses would become more frequent.
However, this celestial sight in the sky would not compensate for the “inferno” happening on Earth. If the Moon moved closer, the gravitational force would tear apart the Earth’s crust. This increased gravitational force would result in earthquakes and trigger volcanic eruptions worldwide.
The Moon has a close bond with Earth. Image: Shutterstock
Furthermore, the tides would rise and fall more dramatically due to the Moon’s orbit and the gravitational pull of Earth and the Sun. Therefore, when the Moon is closer to Earth, ocean tides would become significantly larger. Specifically, they could be up to eight times higher than average.
Coastal cities would be flooded as a result. In fact, some islands would be submerged for most of the day. Particularly, nearly 700 million people living in low-lying coastal areas would face frequent dangers if they are not evacuated in time.
What would happen if the Moon started moving faster?
According to Kepler’s third law, the Moon would only orbit faster if it came closer to Earth. If the Moon were about 18,470 km away from Earth, it would reach the limit. That would be the point where the Moon is so close to Earth that tidal forces would be strong enough to tear it apart. Fortunately, this is unlikely to happen. The reason is that as its speed increases, the Moon would be ejected into space. Once Earth’s satellite reaches a speed of 1.4 km/s, it would have enough momentum to escape Earth’s gravitational pull.
Without the Moon, Earth’s rotation would slow down. As a result, days would become longer. Subsequently, earthquakes and floods would occur more frequently. Tides would also become smaller and weaker without the presence of the Moon.
Furthermore, any coastal ecosystems not already destroyed by massive flooding would cease to function entirely.
Therefore, without the tidal surge, marine species that rely on floating food sources in the ocean would not receive the necessary nutrients to survive.
In particular, without the light of the Moon, nocturnal predators would struggle to hunt. This could lead to a mass extinction event for both land and marine creatures.
Currently, Earth has an axial tilt of about 23.5 degrees, which allows for the occurrence of seasons. It is the gravitational force of the Moon that has helped stabilize this tilt and prevent it from becoming more extreme.
Conversely, if the tilt were to increase, it could result in severe weather conditions. In fact, once again, Earth could potentially enter an ice age. Thus, a faster rotation of the Moon could quickly lead to the extinction of all life on the blue planet.
The Moon has a close relationship with Earth and is believed to have formed about 4.5 billion years ago. Currently, the Moon orbits the Earth with a period of 27.3 days, while also moving away from the blue planet at a rate of 3.8 cm per year.
The distance between the Moon and Earth affects the intensity of tides and the occurrence of lunar eclipses.
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The average distance from the Moon to Earth is 384,400 km. Image: nineplanets
In reality, according to NASA, the average distance between Earth and the Moon is 384,400 km. The Moon orbits the Earth in an oval-shaped trajectory. Therefore, there are places along the Moon’s journey where it is closer or farther from Earth. Specifically, when the Moon moves to its closest position to Earth (also known as the perigee), the distance is about 363,300 km. The apparent size of the Moon when viewed from Earth will also be larger.
When this perigee coincides with the full moon phase, the Moon will appear brighter and much larger when seen from Earth. This phenomenon is known as a supermoon.
According to experts, during a supermoon event, the Moon will appear more than 30% brighter and about 17% larger than when it is at its farthest distance from Earth in its orbit.
The gravitational force of the Moon affects the Earth’s oceans to create tides. Therefore, when the Moon is closer to the blue planet, it can cause higher-than-normal tides.
Conversely, when the Moon is at its farthest distance from Earth (known as the apogee), the distance is 405,500 km.