The Moon

[tigerlily11]

I been watching old episodes of Space 1999 (reliving my yourth and all that:)), and I was wodering does any one know what effect it would have on the earth if for some reason the moon was blown out of orbit.
Thanks for your time.
Tiger

[Mortartube]

If it was blown far enough away, we would have no tides.

[tigerlily11]

I was aware of that sorry I should have made myself clearer.
What effect would things like that have and what other effects would the lack of a moon have.
Thank you any way for answering.
Tiger

[Mortartube]

Well just concentrating on the tidal issue. Many fish feed when the tide is flowing and some species stop feeding at slack water. This could mean certain species may be in danger of extinction as their feeding conditions would change. Likewise with anenomes etc that put out feelers to grab food that passes by in the current.

Tidal estauries would also suffer, many wading birds dredge the low tide line for food.

[heathfield]

Since the Earth and the moon are whirling round each other, if the moon were moved away for whatever reason, the residual whirling direction (linear velocity) of the Earth would presumably move us into a different orbital distance from the sun. Gravitational drag as the moon was moved away could also have an effect on the final orbit. And could result in a change to our present 24 hour day.

[delboy3]

I think it was on The Sky At Night recently where they used a computer model to 'remove' the moon and measured the resulting effect on the Earth: basically it would spin so irregularly on its axis until the yearly seasons "disappeared" and perhaps at one point the whole world would tilt on its side, much as Venus does now.

[tigerlily11]

Thanks for your answers. They are interesting. I wish I had caught that sky at night. I would like to have seen that.
I suppose changes on this scale would mean the end of humans a many other life forms do you think?
Thanks again

[Avatar]

We would still have slight tides caused by the sun. This is why spring tides are higher than normal tides.
I say 'we' but there'd be no humans or higher life forms left around if the moon disappeared I suspect.

[Bob A Job]

from a weather point of view (tide related) i think pretty much all life on earth would be wiped out in a very fast timescale, and there is a current thoery about the polarity of the earths core being steadied by the moons rotation.