The Moon's orbit is elliptical, which means its distance from Earth varies throughout the month. At its closest point (called perigee), the Moon is about 225,622 miles (363,104 kilometers) away. And at its farthest point (or apogee), it's a whopping 252,088 miles (405,696 kilometers) away – that's a difference of over 26,000 miles!
So, why does this matter? Well, the Moon's distance affects the tides on our planet. When the Moon is closer, its gravitational pull is stronger, resulting in more extreme high and low tides. And when it's farther away, the tides are less dramatic. It's like the Moon is playing a game of cosmic tug-of-war with our oceans!
