The Earth would tilt further and cause the poles to be hotter or colder with big differences in temperature. The Moon’s gravity help the spinning top of Earth rotate more smoothly without wobbling more erratically. Both the Earth and the Moon have gravity and pull at each other. Without a Moon, Earth would experience more extreme climate change. It appears white only because of its contrast with the even-darker night sky behind it. That’s why the full Moon is half a million times less bright than the Sun. In other words, the Moon is no brighter than if its surface were entirely paved like an enormous mall parking lot. It reflects just 10% of the sunlight that strikes it, which matches the reflectivity of an asphalt road. The ability of the Moon to reflect sunlight is minimal because the Moon is one of the least shiny objects in the known universe. Studies from 20 confirm a one percent rainfall variation caused by the Moon’s phases and position.īack in 1995, University of Arizona investigators surmised that the Moon’s action may be primarily thermal, caused by infrared emission from its hot, 230✯, sun-lit surface, aimed at us like an electric bathroom heater. Other theorists suggest clouds are “seeded” by the Moon’s modulation of meteor dust. Other researchers think the statistical increase in thunderstorm activity observed around the full Moon may be caused by our planet’s magnetic tail undergoing moon-induced distortions. That’s not enough to let you leave your jacket home on moonlit nights, but it does provide new theories to explain the link between weather and lunar phase. Want another effect? At the time of full Moon, the temperature of the lower four miles of atmosphere increases by two hundredths of a degree Fahrenheit. So, yes, the Moon definitely influences the weather. These may help explain amazing yet subtle links-recognized for the past half-century-between lunar phase and cloudiness, hurricane formation, and precipitation. It also alters circulation patterns such as the subtropical high pressure belts. How the Moon Affects WeatherĪnd in the 1990s, science confirmed the Moon’s ability to generate an atmospheric tide, a gaseous pulse that creates daily changes in air pressure. On a related note, the Moon phases also trigger reproduction and feeding for many sea creatures who rely on the light of the Moon. Certainly, lack of fish would affect the entire food chain including humans. Some species of fish and turtles lay eggs or hatch based on the tides so that their offspring survive. Something we don’t often think about is that the Moon not only affects the tides rising and falling, but also many of the animals in the sea have come to rely on the tides and movement of the oceans and lakes. The Earth’s crust flexes in the direction of the tidal pull. Satellites which can measure the Earth’s topology confirm that the Moon affects the height of the land and puts stress on tectonic faults. Some scientists hypothesize that these shifts might affect earthquakes and even volcanoes. It’s not perceptible like water which moves around much easier. Earth’s ground tides amount to less than 8 inches (20 centimeters). In turn, this affects the weather through the amount of warming or cooling water moving through a given area. Tides have a significant effect on the weather, affecting the movement of ocean currents. The low points are where low tides occur. The Moon’s gravity causes our oceans to bulge out on the side closest to the moon and the side farthest from the moon. People have always noticed the Moon’s synchronicity with the timing of the five-foot average rise and fall of the oceans at shorelines around the world. Of course, high tides and low tides are caused by the Moon’s gravitational pull. Plus, let’s dispel some myths about powers that our Moon does NOT have! How the Moon Affects Tides From tides to weather, there are many ways that our one and only natural satellite works in tandem with our planet.
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