Evolution of the Earth/Moon system (VIDEO) University of California - Davis This video is under embargo. Please login to access this video. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Caption This animation shows the relative orientations of Earth's spin and the Moon's orbit during the Laplace plane transition. Soon after Earth and Moon form, Earth's axis points towards the Sun (blue) as the Moon orbits Earth (red circle). Over millions of years, the Moon orbits further from the Earth and the Earth's day gets longer. At the LaPlace Plane transition, a transfer of angular momentum causes Earth's axis to tilt perpendicular to the Sun. Credit Matija ?uk, SETI Institute Usage Restrictions May be used with acknowledgment of the source. License Licensed content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.