The Romans call it Luna, the Swedish named it måne and there are many more terms given to the Moon-which has lingered around with the Earth while it revolve around the Sun. Since 4.5 billion years, the Earth has not been alone. What happens if the Moon unfriends our planet? What happens if it disappears?
1. The time on Earth would speed up
The moon uses Earth’s orbital energy to compensate for its loss of gravitational force, in order to stay in its own orbit. So day by day, decades by decades and millennium by millennium the Earth slows down. Without the Moon, the time on our planet would run fast. Our 24 hour day would get as short as 6 hours a day.
2. Loss of seasons
Half of the planet would be receiving permanent light from the Sun, while the other half would be immersed in total darkness for thousands of years; until the Earth flips its axis again. Hence, Earth would lose its natural stabilizer if the moon is gone. Due to its gravity, the Earth can maintain its tilted axis constantly. If we lose it, the axis wouldn’t be titled any longer and would just be vertical, resulting into the oddity of seasons.
3. Tides and ebbs in the ocean would reduce
It is due to the gravitational pull of the Moon that the tides and ebbs are formed. The reduction in tides would result into the loss of minerals, water, flow of energy and other resources. Also, a huge variety of aquatic species would be extinct or endangered, as their life depends on the tides-ebbs cycle on the coasts.
4. External attacks from meteorites and asteroids
Our satellite acts as a natural shield and protects the Earth from all types of celestial attacks that might have otherwise occurred. The Moon bears it all and hence, the uneven craters on its surface are created. These meteorites and asteroids move in an orbit around the Sun and sometimes their path collides with that of the Earth and the Moon. But because of having similar revolution axes, the Earth is rarely ever affected by these attacks.
5. No more Eclipses
Three objects need to be aligned for an eclipse to occur: the Sun, a planet and a planet’s moon. Our only natural satellite would never pass into Earth’s shadow without its existence. Thus, there will not be any eclipse. Solar eclipse, when the moon obscures the sun, the corona’s outer and middle parts are seen in visible light. This is the ideal time to study the Sun’s Corona.
Also, read about our previous blog, What if The Sun disappeared?
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