Planetary scientist Jason Barnes from the University of Idaho (USA) predicted the timing of a possible collision of the Moon and Earth. The scientist spoke about this in an interview with Forbes columnist Bruce Dormini.
The expert believes that the satellite and the planet could collide in 65 billion years. Barnes's forecast is valid if by this time the Earth-Moon system has not been swallowed up by the Sun.
The reason that the satellite and the planet will collide will be the slowing down of the rotation of the last celestial body around its axis. According to various estimates, this could happen in about 50 billion years, when celestial bodies find themselves in mutual spin-orbital resonance. By this time, the period of rotation of the moon around its axis would be 47 days.
At present, the satellite makes a complete revolution around its axis in about 27 days and is always turned with one side to the planet. The latter, meanwhile, continues to rotate around its axis with a period of a day.
Currently, the Moon is moving away from the Earth at an average speed of about four centimeters per year. After about six billion years, the Sun will evolve into a red giant that will engulf Mercury and Venus. Most scientists believe that by this time the Earth will also be destroyed by the star.
