Top 10 Cool Moon Facts Sun. As you read this, the Moon is moving away from us. Each year, the Moon steals some of Earth's rotational energy, and uses it to propel itself about 3.8 centimeters higher in its orbit. It's now more than 280,000 miles, or 450,000 kilometers away.
High tide aligns with the Moon as Earth spins underneath.
Another high tide occurs on the opposite side of the planet because gravity pulls Earth toward the Moon more than it pulls the water. When the Moon is at first or last quarter, smaller neap tides form. The Moon's 29.5-day orbit around Earth is not quite circular. Our Moon is bigger than Pluto. And at roughly one-fourth the diameter of Earth, some scientists think the Moon is more like a planet.