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How does the Moon’s elliptical orbit change its distance from Earth?

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near and far sides of Earth's Moon — Moon (Left) Near side of Earth's Moon, photographed by the Galileo spacecraft on its way to Jupiter. (Right) Far side of the Moon with some of the near side visible (upper right), photographed by the Apollo 16 spacecraft.

The Moon orbits Earth in an elliptical pattern, causing its distance from the planet to vary due to the gravitational influence of Earth, the Sun, and other planets.12

The specific points in this orbit are defined as:

Perigee: The point where the Moon is closest to Earth. The distance at perigee typically ranges between 356,500 and 370,400 km (221,500 and 230,200 miles).12
Apogee: The point where the Moon is farthest from Earth. The distance at apogee typically ranges between 404,000 and 406,700 km (251,000 and 252,700 miles).12

In accordance with Kepler’s second law, the Moon travels faster when it is nearer to Earth at perigee and slower when it is farther away at apogee. Additionally, because of tidal friction and the conservation of momentum, the Moon is slowly receding from Earth over time, meaning these orbital distances are gradually increasing.2