Armageddon

Dear Odd Bob:

On Jun 4, 12:48 am, Odd Bob wrote:
"N:dlzcD:aol T:com \(dlzc\)" wrote in news:NlC8i.421433
:
....
And it is possible that the Moon would go rogue, leaving
orbit around the Earth entirely.

Uh, why would it do that?

Well, in a billion years or so, it is expected to do just that.
Probably still near Earth's orbit around the Sun...

Really? First I've heard of it. I thought the Moon was
expected to stick around for a good long time. At least
until the Sun hits red giant stage, and opinions differ as
to what will happen after that.

I don't find any support for my claim:
http://uplink.space.com/showflat.php...b=5&o=0&fpart=
.... says what you say.

This:
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2...n_moonlets.htm
.... talks about objects in orbit around the Sun, spending some time
"dancing" with the Earth-Moon system.

I just don't find it unimaginable within the next billion years that
our Moon simply drifts ahead or behind us, but it would require (it
would seem) some sort of significant disturbance to do this. Since
this part of the conversation was *not* discussing one such possible
"interruption", I withdraw my erroneous claim.

Sorry.

David A. Smith