solunar

looking into solunar tables = The Theory 1. The moon travels around the earth and takes just over twenty-nine and a half days to complete a cycle. If we start at the New Moon, this is where the moon is directly in-between the earth and the sun, hence all the light from the sun falls on the side of the moon facing away from the earth and we can't see it, especially as it is in the sky during daylight hours. The next phase is the First Quarter (or half moon) and then the Full Moon where the moon is furthest away from the sun relative to the earth. The sun is striking the face of the moon that is facing the earth and is easily visible and the moon is visible in the sky virtually all night. The moon goes on to the Last Quarter (or half moon) and on to the New Moon again. There is an excellent section on the moon on Encarta CD-ROM, type in ‘moon’ in the search box in articles and the video ‘phases of the moon’ shows how the moon rotates around the earth very graphically. The moon rises or sets approximately fifty minutes later each day and this also dictates at what point of the day or night it is visible. 2. The moon is the principle source of tides. At the New Moon, the moon and sun are pulling in the same direction and the tides are usually the highest. The Severn Bore also occurs around the New and the Full Moon phases and produces a tidal wave that flows right up the Bristol Channel into the Severn. At the Quarter stages, the tide-line shows a small variation and these are known as neap tides. The moon does not rotate around the centre of the earth; the point is actually about three-quarters of the way across the earth’s radius and is known as the barycentre. The moon varies in its distance from us, at its closest it is 221,000 miles away and 253,000 at its furthest. The moon therefore travels in an elliptical orbit and the force the moon generates varies. 3. What has all this go to do with a barbel stream miles from the coast? Something that can rock the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans twice a day is an absolutely colossal force. If we could tap into it, we would never have to burn a fossil fuel ever again. The gravitational force occurs all over the face of the earth, not just over the oceans. Another name for Solunar Tables is Gravitational Tide Tables and this is what they are tracking. Just because we can’t feel it, it doesn’t mean that it’s not there. Animals and fish constantly surprise us with their homing instincts and complex social patterns and are far more tuned to their surroundings than us. The Moon may play a far greater part that we may realise. 4. There is a gravity change as the moon rises and sets and also when it is at its highest point in the sky and when it is directly opposite (and obviously out of sight). This can either be referred to as Moon Up or Moon Down or alternatively Highest Orbit or Lowest Orbit. When the moon is at its highest point in the sky, it exerts what is known as the direct tide and when it is opposite, it is known as the indirect tide. A rise or set is considered to be for an hour either side and as the force is greater at the Up or Down period, it is good for two hours either side, assuming that other conditions are favourable i.e. temperature not too low (or hot), dissolved oxygen content, flow etc. 5. When two events occur within an hour, the stimulus is thought is enhanced. At the New Moon period, especially in the winter, Sun Rise and Moon Rise and also Sun Set and Moon Set occur very close to each other. If two events are happening very close to each other, i.e. the moon rising as the sun is setting, this can also allegedly enhance the effect.