Will the Tides slow down?

[Seagreen]

There was I, staring at the beautiful full moon tonight, realising that its getting 3cm further away every year, and the thought struck me:

If the moon gets further away, its orbit increases, and it's orbit will slow down. This will make the tides slow down, won't it? Has anyone got any info on this or shoud I just hit the whiskey?

 

[jellyellie]

Hit the whisky either way.

 

[Seagreen]

Doing just that.

 

[marklucas]

Slowing down

3cm in 250,000 miles - unless you've got an atomic clock, would you notice?

Mines a Tallisker!

 

[BrendanS]

3cm in 250,000 miles - unless you've got an atomic clock, would you notice?

Mines a Tallisker!

Minature atomic clock...I know where to find one if you need it?

 

[agurney]

There was I, staring at the beautiful full moon tonight, realising that its getting 3cm further away every year, and the thought struck me:

If the moon gets further away, its orbit increases, and it's orbit will slow down. This will make the tides slow down, won't it? Has anyone got any info on this or shoud I just hit the whiskey?

Last night the moon was at its closest perigee of 2010, about 50,000km closer than at apogee, so you could take a stop watch and see if there's a measurable difference for yourself.

...I'll have a Laphroaig, thanks.

Alisdair

 

[snowleopard]

3cm in 250,000 miles - unless you've got an atomic clock, would you notice?

Now that really would make secondary port calculations tricky.

 

[lenseman]

Now that really would make secondary port calculations tricky.

Port? I though Seagreen was going to hit the Whiskey?

 

[Flapjack]

Also if it’s getting further away then its gravitational affect will become less so over time the tidal variance will become less.

 

[Leighb]

Last night the moon was at its closest perigee of 2010, about 50,000km closer than at apogee, so you could take a stop watch and see if there's a measurable difference for yourself.

...I'll have a Laphroaig, thanks.

Alisdair

I thought the moon seemed very bright when I got up for a wee at 0300.

I seem to recall reading somewhere that eventually - millions of years - the moon will slow down and stop in a geostationary orbit. If true, presumably there would be no tidal effect at all, just a permanent high tide under/opposite and neaps elsewhere?

 

[nimbusgb]

I thought the moon seemed very bright when I got up for a wee at 0300.

I seem to recall reading somewhere that eventually - millions of years - the moon will slow down and stop in a geostationary orbit. If true, presumably there would be no tidal effect at all, just a permanent high tide under/opposite and neaps elsewhere?

Damn! Then all that work getting a tidal qualification will be for nothing

 

[Seagreen]

My personal thought is that the moon will get further away and slow its orbital period, eventually leaving the earth's influence and orbit. This will not matter (for those of you stuck on secondary ports) as the sun will have expanded into a red giant and all life here will be gone, preferably to another planet with lots of pleasant sailing...

Sadly, Talisker, Laphroaig, Lagavulin, and Glenlivet all gone. I have some Glenmorangie at the mo. Having a sober January to recover.

 

[Ubergeekian]

My personal thought is that the moon will get further away and slow its orbital period, eventually leaving the earth's influence and orbit.

Higher orbits need more energy than lower orbits. Where is the moon getting its energy from?

 

[Tidewaiter2]

Another single-ish malt(or just an old salt?) heard ffrrom

Higher orbits need more energy than lower orbits. Where is the moon getting its energy from?

Knockando, of course!

Drinkhal