Retreating moon and solar eclipses

[iceman]

Hi all.

The moon is moving away from us at like 2cm a year, if I remember correctly. This has been measured by firing lasers at the mirror panel they left on the moon during the Apollo missions.

How long will it be before we no longer have a total solar eclipse, and instead we get annular eclipses since the moon will appear smaller (in angular degrees) in the sky and not the same size as the sun as it does now?

Thanks

[gaa_ian]

Not sure on that one Mike, but I imagine the relitive position of the moon (apogee or Perigee) would currently have more of a bearing on whether we get a total or anular eclipse ?
Sufice to say that eclipse chasers will have many more generations of globetrotting to catch those stunning Total Eclipses :eyepop:

[slice of heaven]

The moon has to move a further 20000kms away before the moons disc doesnt cover the sun totally, at 2cm/year...... a billion years.
Thats not taking into account the sun will grow bigger as well, so a bit less than that

[ving]

thanks slice, cant wait to see it :P

wonder what it wouldlook like?

[Nightshift]

No... It's all true, in 1986 I needed a 36mm EP to view the moon in totality, now I need a 25mm. LOL.

[Nightshift]

No Ving, "The ice age is GOING" Geeeez, get it right.

[GrampianStars]

:D Hee Hee Ving
about the time the moon spins away
your "ICEAGE" will have come and gone again :rofl:

[Nightshift]

Don't start us up again Robert. Next we'll be debating global warming on the moon and the retreat of glaciers in Hadley's rill. Hee hee he.

[iceman]

Guys please don't spam threads in the astronomy science forum.

[GrampianStars]

reminds me of the 1975 TV series 1999
http://www.action-tv.org.uk/features/dvdreviews/pics/space_06.jpg
where the moon is blown away :(
by "Natural" humans it wouldn't have been long before using a Tak Le5 eyepiece ar similar for views.
as well as causing major global changes to the oceans no more tides