If the moon's orbit was far more elliptical

RandomPoster

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May 22, 2017
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If the moon orbited the earth more like this, with the moon at times getting within perhaps 1,500 miles from the earth and at times getting several million miles away, could we survive? A full moon would be a sight to look forward to.

 
The gravitational effects would be devastating. And I could be wrong but I don't think it's possible for an orbiting body of the two sizes involved.
 
Everything about the moon is perfect for us humans.

Its size, its orbit, its distance from the earth, its speed.

The chances that could "just happen" by chance are about a hundred quadzillion to one.
 
Everything about the moon is perfect for us humans.
No. It's the other way around. The Moon was here long before the first humans evolved. Naturally, they evolved to be suited to the environment in which they evolved.

The earth-moon system isn't fine tuned to humans. We are fine tuned to it.
 
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Everything about the moon is perfect for us humans.
No. It's the other way around. The Moon was here long before the first humans evolved. Naturally, they evolved to be sutied to the environment in which they evolved.

The earth-moon system isn't fine tuned to humans. We are fine tuned to it.
You don't know jack about how long the moon was here. The arrogance of you commies is astounding!
 
You don't know jack about how long the moon was here.
Of course I do. For instance, i know it was orbiting the earth for a few billion years before the first humans evolved. Those are facts that elementary school children know.
 
Another thing is the moon is the right size and distance from the earth to EXACTLY block out the sun during an eclipse.

If it was a little closer to earth, the moon would look to us to be bigger than the sun...a bit further away and it wouldn't block the entire sun during an eclipse.

What are the odds?
 
Another thing is the moon is the right size and distance from the earth to EXACTLY block out the sun during an eclipse.

If it was a little closer to earth, the moon would look to us to be bigger than the sun...a bit further away and it wouldn't block the entire sun during an eclipse.

What are the odds?
Plus at 1500 miles it would make night time day.
 
Plus at 1500 miles it would make night time day.
Well, kinda. It would be pretty darn bright at times, but we would never again have a "full" moon on the near side of the ellipse, as the moon would pass through the earth's umbra when opposite the Sun. In fact, there would only be two small windows each month (which get smaller, the closer the.moon os to the earth) when the moon was visible in the night sky, and, at those times, it would always be very close to the horizon and be close to half-phase. Though, you are correct, it would be very bright at those times.

That covers the times the moon is on the nearer side of the ellipse. When on the far side of the ellipse, when visible at night, it would be much smaller in appearance and much dimmer. And then there would be some nights when it is about the same as it is now
 
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How drastic would the variation in tides be ranging from 1,500 miles to millions of miles? Would it make life on earth impossible? Also, I'm thinking it might affect compasses. In the past, it may have affected ocean travel.
 
How drastic would the variation in tides be ranging from 1,500 miles to millions of miles
As the force of gravity is inversely proportional to the square of distance, the moon's gravity would be felt aat over 25,000 times stronger than it is felt now. .
 

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