Full Moon 8/23/13

Good Morning.

Up very early coffee is brewed and I am looking forward to that first cup of Door County Coconut Crush. Ah Friday how I love you.

I woke up this morning and there was still a clear remnant of a full moon. I came home from a meeting last night and marveled at the clearness of the sky and the beauty of the full moon.

The moon has a lot of impact on the Earth. Here are some facts about lunar tides.

The gravitational force of the moon is one ten-millionth that of earth, but when you combine other forces such as the earth's centrifugal force created by its spin, you get tides.

The sun's gravitational force on the earth is only 46 percent that of the moon. Making the moon the single most important factor for the creation of tides.

The sun's gravity also produces tides. But since the forces are smaller, as compared to the moon, the effects are greatly decreased.

Tides are not caused by the direct pull of the moon's gravity. The moon is pulling upwards on the water while the earth is pulling downward. Slight advantage to the moon and thus we have tides.

Whenever the Moon, Earth and Sun are aligned, the gravitational pull of the sun adds to that of the moon causing maximum tides.

Spring tides happen when the sun and moon are on the same side of the earth (New Moon) or when the sun and moon are on opposite sides of the earth (Full Moon).

When the Moon is at first quarter or last quarter phase (meaning that it is located at right angles to the Earth-Sun line), the Sun and Moon interfere with each other in producing tidal bulges and tides are generally weaker; these are called neap tides.

But here is one fact that we all tend to forget. God hung the moon and the stars.
Psalm 8:3                    
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,

The next time you find yourself in awe of the moon and stars. Remember who hung them in place and say thank you.

God bless,
Marty