November’s micromoon set a record that won’t be broken until 2043

The moon stretched to its most distant point from Earth in nearly two decades on Friday, creating what astronomers sometimes call a micromoon.

The moon was 252,706 miles from Earth’s center at 2:46 a.m., roughly four hours before the new moon phase begins. This distance marks one of the four largest separations between Earth and its natural satellite during the first half of the 21st century.

The moon won’t be this remote again until December 2043.

The distance between Earth and the moon constantly changes because the moon follows an elliptical, not circular, orbit. The moon’s farthest orbital point is called apogee, while its closest approach is called perigee. These extreme distances typically happen during new or full moons, when the sun, Earth and moon align. This alignment allows t