What effects does the moon have on the earth?

Three primary impacts of the Moon on Earth are noteworthy. Currently, the Moon:

Tidal effects are produced by the moon.

As Earth rotates on its axis, centrifugal force and gravity maintain equal ocean water levels; however, the moon's gravitational pull is strong enough to upset this equilibrium, causing water to accelerate towards the moon and "bulge." The moon exerts its own gravitational force on Earth during its orbit.

Without the moon, our oceans would still bulge because of the sun's gravitational pull, but the size of the bulges would be much smaller than those caused by the moon. This bulge moves as the moon orbits and Earth rotates, causing "high tide" in places experiencing the bulge.

The moon makes the days longer.

We know that Earth's rotation slows down (very slightly) over time due to tidal friction caused by the moon; as a result, our days get longer because we experience longer periods of sunlight.

Without the Moon to slow the rotation, the day would only be 6 or 8 hours long. When we extrapolate this backwards, we see that our 24-hour day today is a product of a slowing rotation over time (it used to spin much faster!).

Nights are illuminated by the Moon.

The Moon's brightness pales in comparison to that of the Sun, which is responsible for our daylight; in fact, the next brightest object in the sky, Venus, is only 1/14,000th as bright as the full Moon!

This implies that without it, nighttime experiences would be very different for us—much, much darker—and our ability to see at night would never have developed to its current state.

Last but not least, the moon has a lasting impact on Earth. You can read one of my favorite poems that makes reference to the moon here. The moon has long served as an inspiration for poetry, literature, and other artistic endeavors.

The effects of the moon on Earth include:

1. Tides: The gravitational pull of the moon causes ocean tides.
2. Lunar cycles: The moon's orbit and phases influence animal behavior, agriculture, and cultural practices.
3. Stabilizing Earth's axial tilt: The moon helps stabilize Earth's axial tilt, which stabilizes the climate.
4. Lunar eclipses: The moon occasionally passes through Earth's shadow, causing lunar eclipses.
5. Light reflection: Moonlight affects nighttime illumination and can influence activities and behaviors.