Astronomical Tide Theory

Astronomical Tide Theory explains how the gravitational pull of the Moon and the Sun influences Earth's oceans, creating tides. The Moon's gravity pulls water toward it, raising the sea level in the area, creating a high tide. On the opposite side of Earth, inertia causes a second high tide. Meanwhile, areas at right angles experience low tides. The Sun's gravity also affects tides, reinforcing or weakening the lunar effect depending on the relative positions of the Sun, Moon, and Earth. These combined gravitational forces result in the regular rise and fall of ocean levels known as tides.