Naked Science Forum
Non Life Sciences => Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology => Topic started by: neilep on 03/11/2008 20:27:56
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Dear Eclipseologists,
Eclipses are my all time favourite phenomena that involves the moon getting between the Earth and the Sun....
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As you can see from this picture, the Sun is like.....well covered !!
Does this have an effect on the gravitation pull from the Sun to the Earth ? Is there any change at all ? Even an incy wincy itsy bitsy bit ?
Thanks for your help !
Hugs ya
neil
Sheep With His Feet Firmly On The Ground
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The heights of Spring tides are maximum during eclipse conditions and around the Equinox, when Sun and Moon tend to be aligned closest. That implies that the actual gravity situation is different, I reckon.
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No
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Sophies answer seems very credible , a thoroughly good read and a pleasure to see but Ian's detail....almost expletive use of the word ' no ' is impossible to ignore !..
..gosh ! [???]
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As SC says the fact that the sun and moon are on the same side means that there is a spring tide, and the fact that there is an eclipse means that for this particular lunar cycle, gravity will be at a maximum at this point. But there is nothing in the eclipse itself that means gravity will be affected. As the moon's orbit is slightly eliptical, the maximum gravity effect will be when the moon is closest. If this coincides with an eclipse, this could be close to a gravitational pull at maximum. Neil, I guess you were thinking that there could be some effect on gravity by virtue of the moon being in front of the sun and here I agree with SS's succinct answer.
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To expand on my previous comment. I presumed that you were asking about changes due to the moon being eclipsed rather than slow changes asociated with the vector addition of the gravitational effects of the earth moon and sun due to their positions in their orbits. Indicating that the eclipsing of the moon somehow screens the earth from the gravity of the sun.
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I presumed that you were asking about changes due to the moon being eclipsed rather than slow changes asociated with the vector addition of the gravitational effects
Oh yes - that is a possible question to ask but I didn't even consider that neil could be asking it.
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If there is any effect of the moon shielding the Suns gravitational field it must be infinitesimal, If gravity is mediated by gravitons it can be shown that they are vastly less massive than Neutrinos and the Moon would let Neutrinos thru as if it was not there how much less effect would it have on Gravitons.
There have been many experiments performed looking for an effect all have only shown effects caused by the heating of clouds etc.