NASA: National Aeronautics and Space Administration

  1. Special Note


    Ask an Astrobiologist has received more than 2500 questions about Nibiru and 2012, with more than 200 answers posted. Please read a summary of the answers that have already been posted, view a video on these topics, use the search feature and read the FAQ’s before submitting questions on these topics.

  1. Question

    why does the moon orbit on a tilted path

    There is nothing that requires that the Moon be in an orbit that is exactly parallel to either the Earth's equator or the plane of the Earth's orbit around the Sun (called the ecliptic). The small gravitational tugs from Jupiter and other planets are primarily responsible for the 23-degree tilt of the Earth's axis with respect to the ecliptic.
    December 2, 2002