[pepsionice]

One curious thing...which I don't think anyone caught...is that the moon used to be a lot closer billions of years ago...so does this mean that it is slowly creeping away from the earth...even today?

[orionblamblam]

> does this mean that it is slowly creeping away

Yes, it is, at a rate of centimeters per year, IIRC. This has been repeatedly measured using lasers and the reflectors left by the Apollo astronauts.

What is happening is that tidal forces are in play. The total angular momentum of the Earth-Moon system is remaining essentially constant, but the system, via tidal drag, is exchanging the Earth's rotation for the moons revolution. Basically, the day AND month are getting longer. As memory serves, in some billions of years both will be approximately twice what they are now. And then the sun will go FOOM, and the issue becomes moot.