🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <ugobmw6@Unify.Com>, grp@Unify.com (Greg Pasquariello) writes:
=In article <1992Dec14.153154.22191@newsgate.sps.mot.com>, markm@bigfoot.sps.mot.com (Mark Monninger) writes:
=> 
=> Over the weekend, I heard a network news commentator say that high winds  
=> and a full moon caused (or made worse) the higher-than-usual tide that  
=> caused so much damage along the northeast coast. What does a full moon  
=> have to do with it? I find it hard to believe that a full moon has any  
=> effect on the tides. The mass of the moon, and hence its gravitational  
=> pull on the ocean doesn't change, nor does its distance from the earth (at  
=> least not because the moon is full). The only thing that really changes is  
=> that we on earth can see more of the moon. Is this an urban legend or  
=> what?
=
=
=I never know whether questions in this group are legit or not.  Feh.  On
=the assumption that this one is...
=
=The moon is (mostly) what causes high tides.  Picture the following... as
=the moon sweeps around the earth, its gravitational pull tugs at the earth.
=When over water, a swell develops where the pull is strongest (i.e. the
=water is being "pulled" toward the moon).  High tide is the swell approaching
=shore.

You haven't answered his question, which was "What does a FULL moon have to do
with an exceptionally high tide."  The answer is that when the tidal effects of
the sun and the moon reinforce each other (as they do during full and new
moons), you get larger than average tides.

You also missed the fact that on the side of the Earth away from the moon,
where the moon's gravitational pull is the smallest, you've also got a high
tide.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carl J Lydick | INTERnet: CARL@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU | NSI/HEPnet: SOL1::CARL

Disclaimer:  Hey, I understand VAXen and VMS.  That's what I get paid for.  My
understanding of astronomy is purely at the amateur level (or below).  So
unless what I'm saying is directly related to VAX/VMS, don't hold me or my
organization responsible for it.  If it IS related to VAX/VMS, you can try to
hold me responsible for it, but my organization had nothing to do with it.