The Moon and the Earth have been dancing around each other since the Moon was first created 4.5 billion years ago, likely in a collision between planet Theia and Earth . The rest of this article is behind a paywall. Please sign in or subscribe to access the full content.

But the orbits of these two bodies have changed over time. The Moon is getting further away from us, meaning one day far in the future, humanity (or whatever evolves from dogs) will look up and see the last total solar eclipse.

We have an incredibly accurate idea of how fast the Moon is currently moving away from us, thanks to the Lunar Laser Ranging Experiment . The Apollo missions in the 60s and 70s placed reflectors on the surface of the Moon. By aiming lasers at the reflector and measuring the time it takes

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