The Moon is drifting away from the Earth by almost four centimetres a year.
Why it is true
The friction of ocean tides slightly slows down the Earth's rotation, which transfers energy to the Moon, pushing it into a progressively wider orbit each century.
Source: NASA
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Related facts
The Moon is moving away from Earth 3.8 cm per year.
The Moon is moving away from the Earth by about 4 centimetres per year.
The Moon is drifting away from Earth at a rate of almost four centimetres per year.
The Moon is moving away from the Earth at a rate of about 3.8 centimetres per year.