The Least Possible Distance between Moon and Earth

If our moon gets so close to Earth, it starts to disintegrate. But what is the least possible distance that is still safe? It is called the ‘Roche limit’; the point at which the gravity holding a satellite together is weaker than the tidal forces from the parent planet. If our moon gets closer than roughly 11,800 miles, Earth’s gravity would begin to pull the moon apart. It is extremely unlikely, but if the moon crossed this threshold, there would be tides as high as 30,000 feet on Earth, devastating much of our planet with gargantuan Tsunamis.

Footage: NASA
Note: The appearance of NASA visual information does not imply or constitute NASA endorsement.

#Shorts

[samrey]

Moon is moving That triggered my abandonment issues😭😭

[IKNv]

I had few dreams about moon crashing down and I’m telling you it’s freaking terrifying seeing coming right at you. Definitely nightmare.

[OssamabinKenny]

Didn’t Piccolo blow up the moon after the time when Gohan had transformed?

[meaculpamishegas]

The moon moves farther away about 1.5” per year

[MeNext]

The moon is slowly moving away from the Earth but not enough to worry about. Common consensus is that it will still orbit the Earth just the effects of tides will diminish.

So let's all pack our bags and move to Mars then !!

[zobayer]

Just to reassure you guys, the moon is so far away from earth that you could fit all the other planets in solar system one after another between these two.

[oscarrivera]

This is so B, S, . Gravity, is just a theory.

[bravo]

Everyone knows the moon is made of cheese. We'll just make nacho cheese with jalapenos if the cheese rock ever comes to visit.

[zealandia]

Without the Moon, the night sky would be pretty boring.

[annetteku]

What happens when the Moon looses its orbit around Earth one day in the future? Will it have its own orbit around the Sun and become an extra planet in the solar system? Or Will it become a Moon around mars? Maybe we Will get our Moon back after we move to mars in the future? Or can we force the Moon to stop migration away from Earth? I don’t want the Moon to disapear🥺

[warpdriveby]

And is already 240, 000 miles away, minimum of ~215, 000? We're much more likely to get hit by something not in a stable orbit.

[ohthehumanity]

It is moving away. That's actually a very different, but real problem. Beginning with Earth's tilt. Major problem.

[johncunningham]

It's moving away at 1, 1/2" a year. That's one and half inch a year. It's going by by.

[littlemrpinkness]

Waves 30, 000 feet high? Planes fly at 30, 000 to 40, 000 feet...

[simenrsas]

No worries. The moon is actually moving away from us. And one day, it will leave us… forever

[widget]

Quick note, 35, 000 feet is not the same as 9, 000km. The ISS orbits at about 400km so I doubt that was the right number to put on. Did he perhaps mean 9, 000 meters/9km?

[BlueGravity]

One day in the distant future we will lose our moon all together.

[iamothien]

The moon moves away from earth approximately at the same rate finger nails grow

[metrotek]

Good thing the moon is getting farther from the Earth.

[shiken]

Moon is actually moving away from earth at around 2 inches a year