"The Countdown to the Moon's Final Solar Eclipse Show"

Total solar eclipses, a phenomenon where the moon completely blocks the sun's light, may cease to exist in about 600 million years due to the moon's gradual drift away from Earth at a rate of 3.8 centimeters per year. This slow separation, measured using laser beams reflected from panels left on the moon by Apollo missions, is a result of the conservation of angular momentum within the Earth-moon system. As Earth's rotation slows, the moon's orbit expands, eventually leading to only annular eclipses being visible from Earth. Future generations may witness a smaller moon and experience longer days and weaker tides as a consequence of these celestial dynamics.