![]() ![]() The sun and moon will be at right angles from each other one week later. Whenever there is a full or new moon (the sun, the earth, and the moon are all in alignment) the solar tide adds to the lunar tide creating the highest of high tides and the lowest of low tides. Rather than being seen as separate tides, solar tides are simply a variation of lunar tides. Solar tides are about half the size of lunar tides. SOLAR TIDES | SPRINGS, NEAPS, AND OTHER VARIATIONSĪlthough the moon is the most prominent factor in tides, the sun does play a role too. ![]() The height of these tides actually differs on a daily basis due to the changing distance between the Earth and the moon. Because of the angle of the moon in relation to Earth, the two high tides (or low tides) each day are not always of equal height. There are six hours and 12.5 minutes between high and low tides and 12 hours and 25 minutes between high tide and the next high tide. There are two high tides and two low tides every 24 hours and 50 minutes. The moon takes 27.3 days to orbit the earth so the tidal cycle is 27.3 days long. The rise and fall of the ocean level is a result of the moon’s gravitational field pulling as it orbits the earth. This bulge is more noticeable in the ocean than on land because the ocean is liquid. The side of the moon closest to the Earth has a bulge. The sun is 360 times further from the earth giving the moon a more significant role in producing tides than the sun. ![]() The moon is much closer to the Earth than the sun, so the moon’s attraction is much greater.
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