Every year, the Moon drifts about 3.8 cm (1.5 inches) farther from Earth. It’s caused by tidal interactions—our planet’s rotation is gradually transferring energy to the Moon’s orbit, pushing it outward. This means that in the distant future, total solar eclipses will stop happening because the Moon will appear too small to cover the Sun. Millions of years from now, Earth’s night sky will look completely different, with a smaller, more distant Moon.