Does the Moon Make Cold Nights Colder? (13)

Introduction

One may think that when the nights are cold because there are not clouds, that the Moon actually makes it colder, because the Moon itself is cold. Well this post is a brief investigation of that thought.

Lunar Surface Temperature

Actually when it is a full Moon the Moon is receiving as much of the Sun’s rays as it possibly can and therefore the surface of the Moon heats up.

During a full Moon the surface temperature of the Moon actually rises to a level considerably higher than that of boiling point, to approximately 125°C. Therefore, the rays that are reflected off the Moon’s surface, and which come to the Earth, are actually somewhat warm and definitely not of a cooling down effect.

The dark side of the Moon however during full Moon has a surface temperature of 153°C.

Conclusion

So it seems that whenever the Moon is reflecting light to the Earth’s surface the Moon can not contribute a cooling down effect on the Earth. However during the times of a new Moon or no Moon it may be possible that the Moon could exert a very slight cooling effect.

End (13).

Lunar Influence – Tides (12)

Introduction

Much has been said about the influence of the Moon on the Earth. This post looks at the influence the moon has on the waters of the Earth, in the form of the tides.

The Tides

This influence of the moon is definitely the first thing that is thought of when the Moon and the Earth are mentioned together. Basically because of the Moon and also the Sun we have the low and high tides.

The Moon draws the waters of the Earth up towards it and on the other side the Sun draws the Earth toward it away from the waters being drawn up towards the Moon.

This action creates the tides. It has been noted that the Chinese were to first ones to understand or least document that the Moon was the cause of the high and low tides.

The Bulge – High Tide

So when the Moon pulls on the water directly below it a bulge is created and that bulge produces a high tide in the area directly under the Moon. On the opposite side of the Earth another bulge is produced as well, this is due to the centrifugal force.

The Other Bulge

What happens with the centrifugal force producing that extra bulge, is that imagine you are the Earth and you are swinging a heavy rock (the Moon) on a string around above head. There will be the centripetal force acting on you, which is the force keeping the rock close to you and then there is the centrifugal force that would send the rock flying away from you. To counter the centrifugal force you will find yourself leaning away from the rock, your centre of mass will have shifted away from the rock to counteract the centrifugal force using your own weight.

This is exactly what happens with the other bulge, because the Earth’s centre of mass changes due to having to counteract the centrifugal force that would see the Moon flying away from it, the Earth’s centre of mass changes and that is reflected by a bulge in water moving the centre of mass away from the Moon.

A Second Tide – Thanks to the Sun

We actually have two tides, one due to the Moon and one due to the Sun. The cause of the tides produced by the Sun is exactly the same as that caused by the Moon. The same mechanisms are at play.

Birth, Death and the Tides

There is a certain superstition that says death tends to be more prevalent in a low tide and less prevalent during a high tide. This was a belief in Old England from North Umberland to Kent.

It has also been said that births are more prevalent during a high tide and less prevalent during a low tide.

Conclusion

The tides are the most tangible of the Moon’s influence on the Earth and they are essentially caused due to the gravitational pull of the Moon on the Earth. It seems that the Moon has a special tendency to pull on the waters of the Earth and that includes the water inside the human being.

The bulge in the Earth’s waters is caused by the pull of the Moon and where that bulge is on the Earth is where there is high tide and everywhere else except on the opposite side of the Earth there will be low tide.

End (12).

Lunar Influence – Meat & Vegetables (11)

Introduction

Much has been said about the influence of the Moon on the Earth. This post looks at the influence the moon has on meat and on the growth of vegetables. Much of it could well be superstition however it is worth noting even in passing.

Effect of the Moon’s Rays on Meat

It has been said that the moon’s rays tend to make animal carcasses decay and rot a lot sooner than if they were not exposed to the rays of the Moon at night. There is even one account by Euthydenus of Sunium that was so surprised how a the carcass of a wild boar rotted so quickly under the rays of the Moon, even more than if it were exposed to the rays of the sun.

Pliny is said to have also said that the carcasses of animals exposed to the Moon’s rays gets corrupted as does the bodies of the living. So it according to that statement of Pliny it may not be such a good idea to sleep under or in the light of the Moon.

Vegetables

It has been said that “when the light of the moon waxes warmer, golden-hued plants grow on from the earth during the spring.” And that cucumbers, radishes, turnips, leeks, lilies, horseradish, saffron and other plants increase in size (grow more) during the time when the moon is becoming full. However, onions grow larger and take more nourishment when the moon is waning.

They also say that it is better to pick mushrooms on a full moon and apples are said to shrivel up quicker if they are picked on a waning moon. That makes sense because on a waxing moon there is much more moisture in the fruit.

Conclusion

The moon must exert some influence over the plants as they contain much moisture within them moving in small channels (capillaries) and the drawing up effect of the Moon on water has to have some effect. However, the influence of eh sun is far greater and of far more a critical nature, this most certainly can not be ignored.

End (11).

Lunar Influence - Plants (10)

Introduction

Obviously the Moon influences the Earth and in turn even more so because the Earth is much greater, the Earth also influences the Moon. However, this post is only concerns itself with some aspects of the influence the Moon has on the Earth, namely how the Moon influences vegetable life.

A Quote from Plutarch

Plutarch allegedly said:

“The moone showeth her power most evidently even in those bodies, which have neither sense nor lively breath; for carpenters reject the timber of trees fallen in the ful-moone, as being soft and tender, subject also to the worme and purification, and that quickly, by reason of excessive moisture; husbandmen, likewise, make haste to gather up their wheat and other grain from the threshing-floore, in the wane of the moone, and toward the end of the month, that being hardened thus with drinesse, the heape in the garner may keepe the better from being fustie, and continue the longer, whereas corne which is inned and laied up at the full of the moone, by reason of the softnesse and overmuch moisture, of all other, doth most cracke and burst. It is commonly said also, that is a leaven be laied in the ful-moone, the paste will rise and take leaven better.”

Conclusion

Plutarch here is saying that the Moon’s influence is felt strongest in the plants and trees. Interesting hey? I would have thought that it would influence the creatures of the oceans and seas the most.

In the waxing and full moon, moisture in the plants and trees rises and when the moon is waning the moisture and sap drains out of eh plant or tree, and in the case of timber making it harder, and in the case of corn making it dryer

If something is better having moisture rise in it (like yeast) then the opportune time is the full moon and if something is better when something inside it falls or lowers then the no moon is the opportune moment.

End (10).

Lunar Month

Introduction

From the study of the moon’s constantly repeating cycles we have the lunar calendar which comprises of 12 more or less equal time periods, called months.

Month

The word month itself has its roots in the word Moon, rightly so as a month is the time taken for the Moon to complete one cycle that is from new Moon to new Moon again.

New Moon

Please note ‘new Moon’ is the phase of the Moon where no Moon can be seen in the night sky, this is because the Moon is right in between the Earth and the Sun. Light from the Sun hits the side of the moon closest to it and illuminates it but the side of the Moon facing the Earth remains unlit by the sun and consequently the Moon appears fully dark to us.

Lunation and its Duration

Lunation is another word for a month as defined in the section above. A lunation on average takes 29.53 days.

Why 12 Months in a Year?

A solar year is defined as the time taken for the earth to orbit the sun. This has been measured to take 365 days.

So the answer to the question “Why are there twelve months in a year?” can be answered by saying that the year calendar that we currently use here in the West is half solar and half lunar. Its overall governing parameter is the solar year, that is one year has 365 days in it, and to divide the year into months, 12 whole lunar months fit into the a solar year.

The calculations below show how the number 12 is derived and the reason why some months have more days than others.

If we were to multiply 12 by the average lunation period or lunar month time which is 29.53 days we end up with 354 days. Meaning 11 days are unaccounted for.

So to make up these missing 11 days some months get more than 29.53 days such as there being 31 days in January and March and 30 days in April etc. etc.

End.