The Moon That Isn't That orb that Romeo did invoke, sufficient light, adjusted right to permit yet hide a carnal fling... that thing (the moon!) of sweet soft beams is less of one than it would seem.

Few realise the gravitation of the situation, for the laws of physics agree with politically correct renomination as "sister planet" (though how does one engender gender of any cosmic member?)

You see that if the Earth you be then the Sun, the moon attracts more than thee. By Jove there are faithful moons a plenty, others weave the rings of Saturn, even Neptune has proper moons to see but alas that moon of Earth, the original sample , is near twice acolyte to Ra, despite Earth's proximity seeming ample. Not perihelion nor even aphelion shake this double grip from afar, not inverse square of the distance there can compensate the mass of star.

So now its time the numbers are begun, Let the mass of Earth be one! 

	      SUN       MOON     SM/EM
Mass	    333,000	0.012
Distances
Min	152,100,000	356,399    1.82
Mean	150,000,000	384,403    2.19
Max	147,100,000	406,699    2.56
The min mean max in kilometres be, whilst third of columns is Ra's superiority to Earth's lunar attractivity, forced by mass times inverse square of all those numbers mentioned there, contrived to give the smallest min and the greatest max the formulation no real mental tax.

Despite this tortured ditty it is reason brokered by nature which comes out pretty. What use is this accountants ask, none to them whose life is but financial farce and what of art, that anthropic thing whose cause for proof is trifling thin... I just thought I'd get a dig in!

Bill Taylor, Phd (in waiting [:{ )

This page was created on 18 March 1995, last modified on 18 March 1995 and is supported by Bill Taylor