The Influence Of The Moon

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The Earth’s natural companion, the Moon, is “desolate and nearly unchanging” (Bennett). Long ago, the inactive satellite “lost most of [its] internal heat”, pronouncing it “geologically dead” (Bennett). The birth of the Moon was less than traumatic when it was formed through the remnants of a younger “impacted Earth” (Foing). Scars from “the late heavy bombardment”(PSI) period reveal the Moon had, has a tough existence. Through all of this, the moon still remains. It is hard to imagine life without the Moon, since it is the “second brightest object in the sky” (Nine Planets), but is it really that important. Throughout the duration of the Moon’s “4.45 billion years of existence” (Bennett), it has helped shape our celestial body as it is today. …show more content…
Physically, the lunar satellite influences the characteristics of our world in many aspects. Behavior of the oceans are impacted by gravity. The Moon is a giant magnet that pulls on the oceans of the world. Tides occur because of the “gravity that attracts Earth and the Moon toward each other” (Bennett). Depending on the position of the Moon, the tides are lower or higher in certain parts of the world. These “tidal bulges are caused by the tidal forces” (Bennett) that the Moon has on the Earth. “If [the moon] were to be suddenly taken away, it would change the global altitude of the oceans” (Foing). The lunar affect on the oceans contribute to the characteristics of our world …show more content…
The rotational axis tilt of our planet is “at twenty-three and a half degrees” (Bennett), but without the lunar affect this would be different. The Moon is a friend that our planet can lean on when it begins to “wobble” (Foing). This is because the position of the Earth’s axis tilt is dependent on the Moon. Lunar affect, “ stabilizes our planet so that its axis of rotation stays in the same direction” (Foing). This stability of our planet also contributes to the seasons of Earth. The rotational axis tilt is “the reason why the Earth has seasons”