The moon
is increasing in distance from the earth by nearly 4cm per year.
( K2k6 has a proper job these days, Fri 15 Jan 2010, 14:05, 2 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

Now THAT is amazing.
Is that a bad thing?
( girlinthehole, Fri 15 Jan 2010, 14:07, Reply)

Yes.
It is dreadful.
(wellgroomedwookiee is a filthy-minded hobgoblin, Fri 15 Jan 2010, 14:08, Reply)

it's upset me quite a lot
I have separation anxiety
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Fri 15 Jan 2010, 14:08, Reply)

spacelolz

( thealternativefact, Fri 15 Jan 2010, 14:09, Reply)

I suspect it may have a slight effect on the tide
but I wouldn't really know
( SpikeyPickle wishes he was mabazaritchie, Fri 15 Jan 2010, 14:09, Reply)

Hurrah! Fewer periods!

( thealternativefact, Fri 15 Jan 2010, 14:09, Reply)

I won't have any soon so won't it affect me.

( girlinthehole, Fri 15 Jan 2010, 14:11, Reply)

*jealouses*

( thealternativefact, Fri 15 Jan 2010, 14:14, Reply)

Also hot sweats, mood swings and a dry foo foo.
Jealous now?
( girlinthehole, Fri 15 Jan 2010, 14:17, Reply)

Oh dear.
No.
*runs away*
( thealternativefact, Fri 15 Jan 2010, 14:18, Reply)

I'd suggest that the tides will get smaller
and will happen further apart as the orbital period will be longer.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Fri 15 Jan 2010, 14:10, Reply)

It's happening because of the conservation of angular momentum
between the earth and moon.

As the tides move lots of water around the earth's surface, the drag actually slows the rotation of the earth by a bit. Because of that, to conserve angular momentum, the distance between the orbiting bodies increases slightly.

It's the same effect (albeit in reverse) as seen when a skater does a pirouette and her rotational speed increases as she draws her arms in towards her.
( K2k6 has a proper job these days, Fri 15 Jan 2010, 14:13, Reply)

I was aware of the slowing effect of moon on earth
but not the other bit. interesting stuff
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Fri 15 Jan 2010, 14:15, Reply)

I liked it better when it was a mystery.

( crackhouseceilidhband Fuck off back to Mumsnet, Fri 15 Jan 2010, 14:15, Reply)

K2k6 ruins everything.

( thealternativefact, Fri 15 Jan 2010, 14:20, Reply)

Pah
You just can't cope with teh Science!
( K2k6 has a proper job these days, Fri 15 Jan 2010, 14:24, Reply)

This is why we haven't gone back to the moon for so long
What with the rising cost of fuel, it's become uneconomical to put the extra diesel in the rockets to get there.
( Davros' Granddad a voice of calm reason in a world of spastics., Fri 15 Jan 2010, 14:13, Reply)

Yes
and once you've been there a while it's moved further away when you want to come home again.
( K2k6 has a proper job these days, Fri 15 Jan 2010, 14:20, Reply)