2006-07-08 02:48:32 · 7 answers · asked by joey.alex 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
The biggest danger is that whatever took out the moon would also do the same to Earth. Something that can separate the moon from Earth would probably also alter the Earth's orbit around the sun. Then we'd be in trouble because of the subsolar temperatures at the perihelion and aphelion of the new orbit.
If the moon was initially a bit further from Earth than it really is, the sun's gravitational tide would split them apart. The moon and the Earth would take up separate orbits around the sun.
The moon acts as a brake on Earth's rotation. Without the moon, Earth's rotation would not be slowed down as much as it is. The moon might impart some gyroscopic stability to the orientation of the spin axis, but I'm not sure about it because the moon doesn't orbit in the plane of the equator.
2006-07-08 03:11:50 · answer #1 · answered by David S 5 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Short Term: colder nights, darker nights, and no more tides.
Long Term: Earth's seasons would be messed up and Earth would go into an ice age and be burning hot the next day. Many of Earth's animals would become extinct.
2006-07-08 10:46:08 · answer #2 · answered by Eric X 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Short Term: First of all, it would be alot darker and a little bit colder at night. Then the nights would get colder and colder. And no more tides.
Long Term: Basically it just would be colder and darker.
By the way, The earth would still turn. One side woudn't freeze given the right weather. The other side woudln't fry because we would still have our atmosphere. Think more rationally please, Life could still inhabit the Earth.
2006-07-08 09:55:04 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Over time the earth would stop rotating. One side would fry while the other froze. Doesn't sound like much fun to me.
2006-07-08 09:53:46 · answer #4 · answered by zara01 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Short term: The tides will stop coming in and out and that will kill tons of marine life.
Long-term: We will start to wobble on our axis.
2006-07-08 09:55:59 · answer #5 · answered by whitearmofrohan 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
weather would be all over the place. womens menstrual cycles would be irregular. Birds would be getting lost. but on the bright side. more stars would be visible and no more werewolves.
2006-07-08 10:07:41 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No more light at night.
No more tides.
Millions of species of animal would go extinct as a result.
2006-07-08 09:51:47 · answer #7 · answered by Epidavros 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋