Thousands of years of observations of natural phenomena, the life of flora and fauna, and their relationship with the Moon are now just finding their scientific basis, and not all phenomena associated with the Moon have yet been explained. Despite this, thousand-year-old knowledge has been confirmed by practice, which means it is worth trusting.

FROM A SCIENTIFIC POINT OF VIEW...

The Moon influences the Earth. This is a time-tested fact and relatively recently proven by scientific research.

The first thing that comes to mind when talking about the influence of the Moon is the ebb and flow of the tides. If you sit on the ocean shore for just a day, you can see with your own eyes how, at equal intervals of time, two full and two small waves, approximately equal in height, are observed, as well as one full and one small wave, not counting the mixed ones. And during full and new moons, the tides reach minimums and maximums.

But to notice with the naked eye that under the influence of the Moon’s gravity the solid surface of the Earth stretches towards the Moon by an amount of about 50 centimeters in the vertical direction and about 5 centimeters in the horizontal direction is somewhat problematic. However, this fact could not be hidden from scientific and technological progress. The magnetic field also changes. As is known, changes in the magnetic field affect the rate of biochemical processes, this is especially noticeable in living organisms.

In relation to plants, this means that, figuratively speaking, the same tidal wave flows through the plant, alternately affecting its various organs at different times of the lunar day and on different days of the lunar month. The power of the Moon, which affects not only liquids, but also solid tissues, changing the crystal lattice, activates or slows down metabolism in various organs and tissues of the plant.

TIME TESTED

From all of the above, we can draw the obvious conclusion that knowledge about lunar rhythms is not exotic revelations that came to us from the Tibetan highlands. It’s just that life in the city made knowledge about the Moon not as vital as before, when everyone lived “by the Moon,” and the harvest depended on sowing on the right day.

Observations of the Moon began in ancient times, when the first lunar calendars were compiled, according to which it was quite easy to keep track of time. At the same time, the first patterns began to be identified between the phases of the Moon and the processes occurring on Earth. Simply put, the lunar calendar reflects the general rhythms of the planet.

LUNAR CALENDAR

The lunar year, like the solar year, usually consists of 12 months. The length of the lunar year is about 354 days, which is 11 days less than the solar year. To equalize the cycles of the two calendars and compensate for the difference in the length of the lunar and solar years, once every three years the lunar year consists of 13 months rather than 12.

The lunar year does not have a fixed start and end date, as it is associated with the time-varying moment of the new moon. The Lunar New Year can begin from January 21 to February 19, when the sun passes through the zodiac sign of Aquarius. It is the new moon that occurs during this period of time that begins the new lunar year. This year the lunar year will begin on February 4th.

A lunar month is 29.5 days, during which the Moon makes one revolution around the common center of gravity of the Earth and the Moon, which is located inside the Earth closer to its surface.

The beginning of the lunar month is the moment of the new moon, when the Moon, after connecting with the Sun, from the point of view of an earthly observer, begins to move away from it. This can happen at any time of the day - morning, afternoon, evening or night. During the period of the new moon, that is, on the first two and last two days of the lunar month, the Moon, in its movement across the sky, approaches the Sun and hides in its rays - the Moon is not visible on these days.

The lunar month consists of phases that are associated with the position of the Moon relative to the Sun. A new moon is a combination of the Moon and the Sun. The full moon is their opposition.

A lunar day is 24 hours 50 minutes, during which the Moon makes a full revolution around the Earth.

The right time to work in the garden is of great importance for the growth and maturation of plants, as well as for their resistance to weeds and pests. There are two forms of influence of the Moon - waxing (from new moon to full moon) and waning (from full moon to new moon). The harvest will largely depend on whether certain gardening activities will be done on the waxing or waning Moon.

FROM NEW TO FULL MOON

When the moon is waxing, metabolism accelerates, so plant growth occurs more intensively. As the full moon approaches, the most active phase of plant life begins.

During this period, the flow of plant fluids is directed upward from the roots, which increases the pressure in the above-ground part of the plant. Pruning plants during this period is dangerous because the plants may bleed juice and die.

At this time, the roots are the least vulnerable and practically do not react to damage. Therefore, replanting plants on the waxing Moon is most effective, and the plants take root well in the new location. It is especially recommended to replant and plant fruit trees, berry bushes and strawberries.

Digging the soil is also beneficial, since the risk of damaging the root system of plants is minimized.

When the Moon grows, a partial weakening of the Earth's gravitational force is observed. As a result, plants absorb more water and microelements from the soil, so from new moon to full moon, plants need more water. Mineral fertilizers are absorbed by plants more efficiently, so it is important to follow the dosage of fertilizers, otherwise intensive absorption of minerals can lead to plant intoxication.

On the growing Moon, it is recommended to sow and plant plants that produce fruits and other useful and edible parts above the soil surface: cucumbers, tomatoes, peas, greens, zucchini, cabbage, flowers, lawn grass and other “tops”. Since this period is characterized by intensive growth of the above-ground part, the development and germination of the seed in the soil will begin precisely according to this principle and, as a result, the above-ground part of the plant will develop much better.

FULL MOON

On the full moon, as well as on the day before and after the full moon, it is not recommended to prune trees and shrubs, as well as replant them, since plants are especially vulnerable during this period. It is best not to perform any manipulations with plants at this time.

However, the nutritional value of fruits and berries collected on the full moon and in the first days of the waning moon is the highest.

FROM FULL MOON TO NEW MOON

When the Moon is waning, the life processes of plants slow down, juices rush down to the roots, and pressure in the underground part increases.

Since the roots are by their nature more vulnerable than the above-ground part, damage to them during this period can cause the death of the entire plant. It is better not to replant the plants and not to deep loosen the soil near them. Again, when it comes to weed control, this is the best time to get rid of them. Thinning seedlings will also be effective.

The aerial part reacts poorly to damage during this period. Therefore, the waning Moon is a favorable time for pruning, grafting and harvesting fruits.

If you cut flowers on the waning Moon, they will last longer and better withstand long-distance transportation.

Plants whose useful and edible parts develop underground are best planted and sown on the waning Moon. Potatoes, root vegetables, onions, garlic and other useful “roots” that began to develop during this period will have a well-developed underground part.

The Moon is a natural satellite of our planet. Its influence is so great that astronomers often speak of the Earth-Moon conjunction not as a planet and a satellite, but as a double planet. Disputes about its origin still rage. Let's try to figure them out.

What is this strange “planet”?

The Moon influences almost every aspect of life on Earth, and the history of human civilization was no exception. Mammoth hunters also counted days using the phases of the moon. For the first civilizations, the Earth's satellite was a deity who controlled the most important thing - the agricultural cycle. In most ancient civilizations, the Moon was considered a powerful goddess to whom temples were built and sacrifices (sometimes human) were made. Eclipses of the Moon caused horror - the deity covered his face in anger, disasters were coming! In the Middle Ages, the Moon was considered the habitat of angels; in the Age of Enlightenment, people indulged in dreams of a race of Selenites living on the night luminary. Scientific progress quickly destroyed these naive ideas. The Moon turned out to be a small planet, lifeless and unattractive (from a human point of view). But it also turned out that the influence of our satellite on the processes occurring on Earth is very great - probably, without the Moon, the biosphere could not exist on Earth, and our planet would be similar to Mars or Venus. After all, it is the presence of the Moon that determines the most important climatic parameter - the inclination of the planet’s axis of rotation relative to the plane of its orbit, which determines the nature of the change of seasons.

From the laws of celestial mechanics it is known that the inclination of the axis of rotation of planets is subject to fluctuations, an example of which is our neighbor Mars. As calculations performed by astronomers show, the angle between the equator of Mars and the plane of its orbit changed significantly. But the surface of the Red Planet contains numerous signs of a different past - channels, channels, sedimentary rocks (traces of ancient seas!). In the distant past, the planet's climate was warmer, and liquid water, and possibly life, existed on its surface. But some kind of catastrophe occurred, and Mars turned into an icy desert. Research shows that the most likely reason for the “freezing” of Mars was a change in the angle of the Martian axis. For the Earth, even an insignificant change in the angle of inclination of the axis to the ecliptic plane (by an amount of the order of a degree) can lead to an ice age. Meanwhile, Mars was rotating by tens of degrees, so grandiose climate disasters on it were inevitable. But on Earth, the angle of inclination of the axis relative to the orbital plane varied by no more than one or two degrees, which ensured amazing (by the standards of other planets) climate stability. A natural question arises - what is the reason for the unique stability of our planet?

How the Moon helps us

Most scientists believe that we should thank the Moon for the stability of the Earth’s rotation (and, accordingly, the climate) - it is thanks to it that chaotic fluctuations in the angle of inclination do not threaten the Earth. The hypothetical absence of a large satellite near the Earth would create conditions for very strong fluctuations in the angle between the equator and the orbit, which would make the climate on Earth uninhabitable.

The beneficial role of the Moon was not limited to this, contributing to the emergence of life: it caused tides that contributed to the aeration of the seas. Perhaps even life itself first began in the intertidal zone! The movement of the Moon across the sky affects the life cycles of many organisms - a prime example is horseshoe crabs (marine arthropods distantly related to crayfish and crabs), which spawn only during a certain phase of the Moon.

It undoubtedly influenced the history of mankind. As an ideal celestial chronometer, the Earth's satellite significantly accelerated the appearance of the first calendars. Observations of the Moon (the closest celestial body) played a huge role in the development of astronomy. From them, ancient scientists concluded that the planets were spherical, and the movement of the Moon and its connection with sea tides made it possible in the 17th century to formulate the laws of universal gravitation.

Later, observations of the Moon contributed to the development of planetary science - after all, no other planet (except the Earth) has been studied in such detail! However, as knowledge about the Moon accumulated, a number of questions arose. The biggest mystery remained the origin of the Moon - many hypotheses for the origin of the night star were put forward, but none of them could explain all the facts. What are the main features of our satellite that caused such difficulties for scientists?

We list the main ones:

• the average density of the Moon is much less than the average density of the Earth, since the Moon has a very small core (if the Earth has about 30% of the mass of the planet, then the Moon has no more than 2-3%);
• on the Moon the content of heavy elements (thorium, uranium, titanium) is increased;
• but the ratio of oxygen isotopes in the earth’s and lunar crust is almost the same (but it varies greatly among different planets and meteorites from different parts of the solar system);
• the lunar crust is much thicker than the earth’s, which presumably indicates that all the matter composing it was once molten (but the Earth is believed to have never been completely molten);
• finally, the plane of the Moon’s orbit does not coincide with the equatorial plane of the Earth.

Among the numerous assumptions about the mechanism of the origin of our satellite, three hypotheses at different times gained the greatest popularity among scientists. Let's talk about them too.

Hypotheses for the origin of the Moon

According to one of these hypotheses, our companion was once an “independent” small planet in the solar system, revolving around the Sun. However, at some point, the free Moon came too close to the Earth - and the force of gravity captured it and transferred it to a new orbit, where the Moon was destined to revolve around our planet as a satellite.

Alas, calculations showed that this hypothesis cannot explain the features of the lunar orbit, and the similarity of the elements of the earth’s and lunar crust discovered after flights to the moon put an end to the “capture” version. Another popular hypothesis was the assumption of the joint formation of the Earth and the Moon (this hypothesis was put forward by the great Immanuel Kant). In accordance with it, the Moon and the Earth were formed simultaneously - from one gas and dust cloud. The nascent proto-Earth gained such mass that particles of the cloud began to rotate in their orbits around it, gradually forming the proto-Moon.

This hypothesis is partly confirmed by the similarity of the isotopes of the Earth and the Moon, but this model does not explain the features of the lunar orbit at all.

To explain these contradictions, American astronomers Bill Hartmann and Donald Davis in 1975 put forward the impact hypothesis, which is currently considered the main one. According to it, when the Solar system was just in its infancy, two protoplanets were formed from a gas and dust cloud revolving around the Sun in the orbit of the future Earth - one of them was the young Earth, and the other (it was smaller, about the size of Mars) was named Theia. Under the influence of gravity, the planets began to move closer together, and 4.4 billion years ago, a grandiose catastrophe finally occurred - a collision of planets. The blow, fortunately, was tangential. Theia was destroyed, and the molten bowels of the earth splashed out into near-Earth orbit from the impact. The Moon was formed from this substance in about a hundred years. The impact spun the Earth - this is where the rapid (in comparison, for example, with Venus) change of days and nights comes from. This hypothesis well explains the inclination of the lunar orbit, the similarity of oxygen isotopes on Earth and the Moon, and the strange internal structure of the Moon. However, new research published in the journal Nature deals a fatal blow to these views.

After conducting a detailed study of samples of lunar rocks obtained by expeditions of the Apollo series of ships in the 70s of the 20th century, experts from the University of Washington issued a negative verdict on the impact hypothesis: “If the old theory were correct, then more than half of the lunar rocks would consist of material that struck Planetoid Earth. But instead we see that the isotopic composition of the fragments of the Moon is very specific. The heavy isotopes of potassium found in the samples could only have formed under the influence of incredibly high temperatures. Only a very powerful collision, in which the planetoid and most of the Earth would evaporate on contact, could cause such an effect."

As a result, scientists proposed a new theory: instead of a colossal collision of planets, there were multiple collisions with smaller asteroids. The asteroid bombardment threw enough debris into Earth's orbit to form several small satellites, which eventually merged into one large one. This “Protoluna” continued to absorb objects in orbit until it was left in splendid isolation.

website- Since time immemorial, this astronomical body has been the object of mysteries and research by ancient astrologers. Today, scientists are trying to analyze ideas that have come from the depths of centuries and give answers to many questions that remain unanswered and appear at the level of myths.

There is no consensus on this issue in the scientific world. The views of scientists were divided. Each side presents facts to prove their point of view. And despite the fact that most of the influence of the Moon has not yet been proven, certain points are still recognized by two camps of scientists, such as the ebb and flow of tides.

The Moon, with its gravitational field, influences the earth's biosphere and causes, in particular, changes in the Earth's magnetic field. The rhythm of the Moon affects the ebb and flow of the tides, air pressure, causes changes in temperature, wind action, the earth's magnetic field, and water levels. Moreover, the tidal impact is exerted not only on water areas, but also on the earth’s crust, however, due to the density of the latter, it will go unnoticed.

By the way, the tidal influence on the planet is exerted not only by the Moon, but also by the Sun, although the influence of the Sun is weaker due to its distance from the Earth. The height of solar tides is half that of lunar tides. Lunar-solar tides are an important phenomenon in the life of the Earth. Under their influence, the Earth gradually slows down its rotation; the length of the day increases. The earth's tidal force has an even stronger effect on the Moon: it has long slowed down its daily rotation so much that it is constantly facing us with one side. For example, 400 million years ago, a day on Earth lasted two hours less.

There is an interesting hypothesis about the stabilizing role of the satellite on Earth. So, in relation to the size of the Earth, the Moon is a fairly large satellite. Its diameter is 3474 km, while the diameter of the Earth is 12.742 km. In relation to the Earth, planetary scientists believe that it is the Moon that helps stabilize the Earth’s orbit, as well as the tilt of the rotation axis, which in turn affects the formation of the seasons.

As for the effect of the Moon on the human body, everything is much more complicated here, since a living organism is an infinitely plastic system with many psychological “complications”. For centuries, the moon seemed to man as a mysterious force that was capable of controlling many life processes. However, the opinions of scientists studying this “side” of the Moon differ. For example, midwives back in the 19th century. were convinced that the Moon influences the onset of childbirth. As Italian doctors have shown, more births occur during the full moon. There is no explanation for this phenomenon. But along with this, there is research that proves the opposite.

Indian doctors have been recording cases of heart attacks depending on the phases of the moon for two years. It turned out that the incidence of heart attacks during the new moon is 20% higher than during the full moon. A study by German doctors does not confirm the prevailing opinion about faster healing of wounds during the waning moon.

The menstrual cycle also has nothing to do with the lunar calendar. American anthropologists for three years monitored the monthly cycle of women of an Indian tribe living in forests far from such civilizational factors that influence biorhythms as hormonal contraceptives and electric lighting. No connection to the Moon was found.

Also, the Moon does not affect people's behavior. Crime statistics show no connection between the phases of the moon and the frequency or severity of crimes. However, psychiatrists from Liverpool claim that the Moon affects the state of schizophrenics.

17. The influence of the Sun and Moon on earthly processes

Factors Determining the solar influence of the Sun and Moon on the Earth can be divided into two types. The first is constantly operating factors, which include the shape of the Earth, the size of the Earth, gravitational and magnetic forces that determine the retention in orbit and the movement of the Earth around the Sun, the second is solar radiation, which is the main source of energy on Earth, the relative position of the Earth, the Moon and the Sun.

Shape and size of the Earth are of great importance for the development of all geographical phenomena and processes on Earth. For example, the spherical shape of the Earth causes uneven heating by the Sun. The greatest heating of the earth's surface occurs in the area between the tropics, where the angle of incidence of the sun's rays on the planet's surface is highest throughout the year. There is a gradual decrease in heat towards the poles. This determines the general geographic zonation of the Earth and the formation of various natural zones.

In addition to the shape of the Earth, its mass, volume, and density are of great geographical importance. These parameters are associated with such properties of the Earth as gravity, magnetic and thermal fields. The Earth's gravitational, magnetic and electric fields are determined by its shape, size and material composition and, in turn, determine the properties and processes of the geographical shell.

The mass of the Earth is 5.976 10 27 g, the volume is 1.083 10 12 m 3, the average density is 5.518 kg/m 3. The composition of the Earth is dominated by iron: (34.6%), oxygen (29.5%), silicon (15.2%) and magnesium (12.7%).

The density of the Earth varies depending on the composition and properties of rocks and depth from the surface. The average density of the Earth is 5.52 g/cm 3 . In the center of the Earth, the density reaches 12-17 g/cm 3 (12-17 thousand t/m 3). The density of the upper layers of the Earth depends on the composition of the rocks composing them.

These parameters are associated with such properties of the Earth as gravity, magnetic and thermal fields.

Gravity is the mutual attraction of two physical bodies that have mass. Gravitational forces hold the planets around the Sun, determine the spherical shape of the Earth and hold its atmosphere.

The Earth's magnetic field is similar to the magnetic field of a conventional rod, the ends of which have opposite magnetic poles, i.e. magnetic dipole. The points of intersection of the magnetic dipole with the earth's surface are called geomagnetic poles (north and south). Magnetic poles do not coincide with geographic ones; their positions are constantly changing over time. The zone of near-Earth space, the physical properties of which are determined by the Earth's magnetic field, is called the magnetosphere. It has internal (at an altitude of 3-4 thousand km) and external (22 thousand km) radiation belts.

As you know, the Earth rotates around its axis in the direction from west to east and at the same time around the Sun. The Earth makes a complete revolution around its axis in 23 hours 56 minutes 4 seconds. This period of time is called a sidereal day. However, due to the fact that the Earth simultaneously rotates around the Sun, the actual length of the day is somewhat longer. For convenience in practical application, it was decided to consider the average duration of a sunny day as 24 hours. The rotation of the Earth around its axis is associated with the change of day and night and many earthly processes.

The linear speed of the Earth's rotation is the distance that any point on the Earth's surface travels per unit time. Depending on the geographic latitude, it varies from 0 (at the poles) to 464 m/s (at the equator). In addition to linear speed, the axial rotation of the Earth also determines the angular speed, which shows the angle of rotation of any point on the earth’s surface per unit time. It is the same for all latitudes of the Earth and is equal to 1° in 4 minutes (15° in one hour). Angular velocity determines the magnitude of the Coriolis force, which affects the movement of water and air masses, the erosion of river banks, the direction of sea currents, etc.

The shape of the Earth and its rotation around its axis are also associated with such concepts as zone and local time, as well as date changes and the calendar. (Remember what time zones are, local time and standard time?).

Depending on the position of the Earth relative to the Sun, zones of illumination are distinguished on the globe (Remember, how many and what zones of illumination are distinguished on Earth?)

The Earth has one natural satellite - the Moon. The Moon has a braking effect on the speed of rotation of the Earth, which affects the magnitude of the Coriolis force and, first of all, on moving media (water, air masses). Under the influence of the Moon and partly the Sun, the intensity of the Earth's processes changes, including tectonic processes (mountain building, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions), and the magnitude of its polar compression decreases. It has been proven that the Moon influences biological rhythms on Earth, and through them the health of humans and animals.

The intensity of the Moon's influence on Earth's processes depends on the relative position of the Earth, Sun and Moon and the phase of the Moon. The different shapes of the sunlit portion of the Moon that we see from Earth are called lunar phases. There are four of them: new moon, when the Moon is between the Earth and the Sun; the first and last quarters, when the Moon is visible from the Earth at an angle of 90 degrees from the east and west of the Sun; full moon when the Moon is in the opposite direction to the Sun. (Remember from astronomy the duration of the lunar phases)

The influence of the Sun on earthly processes is determined by phenomena occurring in the depths of the Sun, i.e. from solar activity. A huge amount of energy that the Sun emits into outer space is formed in its depths as a result of the thermonuclear reaction of converting hydrogen into helium. Despite the fact that only one two-billionth part of this energy reaches the Earth, the Sun is the main source of energy for all processes occurring in the geographic envelope.

Signs of solar activity are sunspots, zones of increased brightness (faculae) and explosive bursts of energy (flashes) on the surface of the Sun (Remember from astronomy the reasons for their formation). An increase in solar activity is reflected in the geophysical processes of the Earth. There are 11-year, 33-year and 98-year cycles of increasing solar activity. During these periods, the influence of the Sun on the Earth increases.

Solar activity has a great influence on such terrestrial processes as auroras, magnetic storms, earthquakes, plant growth and productivity, reproduction and migration of insects, epidemics of human diseases (influenza, typhoid, cholera, etc.).

The influence of solar activity on the Earth's climate is extremely large. The solar radiation fluxes that increase during solar storms affect the ozone content in the upper layers of the atmosphere. This, in turn, changes the intensity of heat and moisture exchange on Earth.

One of the factors of solar influence on the Earth is the “solar wind” - flows of protons and electrons that spread from the Sun in all directions. A very small part of the “solar wind” material reaches the Earth, but its influence on the magnetic properties of our planet is enormous.

As you know from astronomy, all the planets of the solar system are in a state of gravitational interaction. The interaction of the Sun, Moon and Earth is visible in the formation of tidal processes in the Earth's hydrosphere. The Moon plays a major role in the formation of tides. The influence of the Sun, despite its enormous mass, due to its great distance (149.5 million km), is 2.71 times less than the influence of the Moon. The highest tide height in the oceans is observed when the Earth, Moon, and Sun are on the same line and their tidal forces are summed up. This tide is called syzygous (from the Greek syzygia - connection, conjugation). The lowest tide is quadrature (from the Latin guadratura - square shape), when the Moon and Sun are at right angles to the Earth.

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25. How does the Moon affect the Earth?

25. How does the Moon affect the Earth?

Twice a day the sea approaches the beaches and then retreats. Such tides, first explained by Isaac Newton, are caused by the Moon.

Contrary to popular belief, tides on Earth are caused not so much by the gravity of the Moon, but by changes in the gravity of the Moon.

The Moon's gravity acts most strongly on the ocean directly in front of it, less strongly on the center of the Earth, and least strongly on the ocean on the far side...

Thus, the oceans swell in two directions: on the one hand, because water is pulled away from the Earth; on the other hand, because the Earth is leaving the water.

As the Earth rotates on its axis every 24 hours, two tidal bulges travel across the oceans, creating two tides per day at each point.

In fact, the Moon's gravity pulls out tidal bulges. This action “slows down” the rotation of the Earth. The Moon reacts by retreating from the Earth.

The moon creates "tides" in the mountains in the same way as in water, although smaller due to the rigidity of the mountains. Such tidal stretching can contribute to earthquakes.

The Large Hadron Collider near Geneva detects stretching and contraction twice a day as the Moon stretches and contracts the 27 km ring of the "atom accelerator".

The Sun also creates tides in the oceans, but only 1/3 of what the Moon produces. When the Sun and Moon come together, we get the highest tides.

High tides, winds and funnel-shaped currents can create a tidal wave - a hump of water that retains its shape for many kilometers and can even be used for surfing.

In the past, when the Moon was closer, the tides were higher than they are today. At its birth, the Moon was 10 times closer and the tides were 1000 times higher.

The Moon not only causes tides, but can also “destroy” the Sun. A total solar eclipse was a horror for ancient people. They used a rattling pan to scare away the sun-eating monster (it always worked!).

Total solar eclipses changed history. During the battle between Lydia and Media (Türkiye, 585 BC), the Earth was plunged into darkness. This was a bad omen. The armies laid down their arms.