Sun and Moon Influence Ocean Tides More Than You Think

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We already know that the moon influences ocean tides, but it appears that the influence is more significant than we would have thought. The spring tide refers to the action of the ocean that springs up and then rebounds.

The big difference between low tide and high tide is the tide. It happens during the full moons, but it happens in the new moon as well. The spring tide will appear when the moon is not new and that is because the moon, and sun and the earth are aligned.

During lunar phases, the tide will be higher because the sun also generates gravity on the oceans. The two quarter moon phases occur one week later, and that is when the moon and the sun are in the right position, and their influences over tides partially cancel each other.

You should know that the lowest and the highest drop tides don’t occur on new moon dates or on a full moon. That is because it takes some time until the ocean feels the influence of the moon. Usually, the swells and spring occur after each moon cycle.

The moon plays a higher role

The moon is considered more important when it comes to ocean tides because it is closer to our planet compared to the sun, which means that its influence is more prominent. While the sun’s gravitational pull on our world is almost 178 times stronger than that of the moon, the moon’s tidal effect is more than twice as strong as that of the sun.

This gravitational pull is what makes the water in the oceans bulge, creating high tides in the areas of Earth on the opposite side of the moon or facing the moon. Since the next new moon was on May 15, we can predict the spring tide on May 16th or 17th.

As our second lead editor, Anna C. Mackinno provides guidance on the stories Great Lakes Ledger reporters cover. She has been instrumental in making sure the content on the site is clear and accurate for our readers. If you see a particularly clever title, you can likely thank Anna. Anna received a BA and and MA from Fordham University.