Cosmos/Moon/Effects of the Moon

Effects of the Moon

"Color Temperature" chart

The light from the moon influences more than you might suspect, including animal behavior and farming.

Moonlight has a color temperature of 4100K, while sunlight has a higher color temperature of more than 5000K. Objects illuminated by moonlight don't look yellower to the eye. They look bluer. This holds for indoor scenes and for outdoor.

Effects on Animals

Some animals simply see better at night or are aided by the light of the moon. In contrast, prey animals know that to be seen means to be eaten, so it's prudent to hide when the moon is bright. And just as moonlight can influence predator-prey schedules, it also can influence some mating behaviors.

Certain species of badgers mark their territory more during the new moon, but during the full moon, they mark territory less. One explanation for the difference is that badger mating rituals are lengthy, so mating in the brightness of a full moon would put copulating badgers in danger. As a result, these badgers lie low during bright nights and are more active during other phases of the moon.

Many species of coral spawn on or near the full moon. While other factors such as weather and water temperature also influence their spawning, the event occurs near a full moon.

Doodlebugs dig bigger holes around the full moon. This could be because of the increased activity of prey when the moon brightens the night sky, causing a greater chance of catching dinner.

Certain owl species become more active during the full moon, both in their mating calls and in showing off their feathers to potential mates. In one study of the Eurasian eagle owl, researchers found the owls' feathers may be more visible in the light of a brighter moon.

Veterinary emergency statistics
On busy nights throughout her career in emergency veterinary medicine, Dr. Raegan Wells would often hear staff members and colleagues wonder aloud, “It must be a full moon tonight.”

Wells, currently the chief medical officer at Emergency Animal Clinic in Phoenix, was skeptical of the notion that they were busier during a full moon, so she decided to take matters into her own hands to see if there was a correlation.

In 2007, Wells co-authored a retrospective study at Colorado State University that examined whether the volume of animal emergency room visits increased on the days of the full moon. The data was compiled of nearly 12,000 case histories of small animals, specifically dogs and cats, from 1992-2002 at the university’s veterinary medical center. Such emergency types include animal bites, epilepsy and trauma to name just a few.

Dr. Wells - "The results of the study were surprising"

While the specific day of the full moon did not see a higher caseload, Wells said the days surrounding a full moon, which they would call ”fuller moon days,” when the moon is in its waxing gibbous, full or waning gibbous state, were more pronounced.

Specifically, data indicated that the "risk of emergencies on fuller moon days was 23 percent greater in cats and 28 percent greater in dogs when compared with other days," according to a school news release.

Data from the study did not provide conclusive results for the increased number in visits although Wells did suggest one possibility.

On full moon nights, due to increased luminosity, some animals may stay out longer and remain more active, thus being more likely to be traumatized or injured, Wells and fellow researchers theorized.

Impact on Fishing

Have you ever observed how the moon’s dance across the night sky influences the ocean’s tides? It’s a spectacle to behold and a secret weapon to boost your fishing success. By understanding the moon’s phases, you can tap into an age-old celestial rhythm, turning the tables in your favor for a more productive fishing experience. This guide will reveal how to harness the lunar advantage for improved catch rates.

The Solunar Theory was proposed by John Alden Knight in 1926. According to this theory, the activity of all living beings is directly affected by the location and phases of the moon. ‘Solunar’ is derived from ‘Sol’ for sun and ‘Lunar’ for moon.

Knight’s theory proposes that the sun and moon positions create a natural rhythm that fish and other wildlife tune into. The periods of peak activity, termed ‘Major’ and ‘Minor periods’ in the Solunar Theory, coincide with the times of moon up, moon under, moonrise, and moonset. Significant periods last for about two hours, while minor periods are shorter.

Many anglers swear by this theory, claiming significant fish activity and feeding increases during these Solunar periods. However, like all theories, there are exceptions and variables, and the Solunar Theory should be used as a tool in conjunction with other factors such as weather, tides, and knowledge of fish behavior.

The best moon phases for fishing are typically the New Moon and Full Moon phases. During these times, especially at night, fish tend to be more active and feed more, making them optimal for fishing.

This table represents a fishing moon chart and explains how each phase impacts on fish behavior.

Moon Phase	Impact on Fishing	Star Rating
New Moon	Excellent fishing, especially at night. Fish tend to feed more due to the lack of moonlight.	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Waxing Crescent	Above average. The increasing moonlight stimulates feeding.	⭐⭐⭐⭐
First Quarter	Average. Fish might feed in early morning and late afternoon.	⭐⭐⭐
Waxing Gibbous	Below average. Fish feed less due to bright moonlight.	⭐⭐
Full Moon	Excellent night fishing due to the brightness, but can result in slow day fishing.	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Waning Gibbous	Below average. Similar to Waxing Gibbous, fish feed less.	⭐⭐
Last Quarter	Average. Similar to First Quarter, early morning and late afternoon is best.	⭐⭐⭐
Waning Crescent	Above average. As moonlight decreases, fish feed more.	⭐⭐⭐⭐

Effects on Plants

The "werewolf" plant Ephedra foeminea only puts out a sugary residue to attract pollinators during the full moon in July. Researchers have yet to understand exactly how the plant "knows" to follow the lunar cycle, but research shows there's a correlation. There is, however, disagreement among scientists that the shrub's pollination is related to the lunar cycle.

A University of Perugia, Italy study
While it may not be as widely recognized yet, it is becoming more clear that the moon also affects the flow of water through plants: sap moves more vigorously during the waxing phase as the moon grows to full, and slows down as the moon wanes to a thin morning crescent.

Isabella Guerrini, at the University of Perugia in Italy, works in the department of agriculture studying plant and animal consciousness and its integration into ecological pattern and rhythm.

Indeed, fluid flows more full as the moon becomes full, slowing down as the moon wanes.

This, she explains, has important consequences for plant growth and pruning: vigorous, sappy plants will suffer if cut, harvested, or pruned close to the full moon. First off, leaking sap exposes the plant to disease and pest incursion. But furthermore, sap from a cut plant, now deprived of its primary outlet, will engorge smaller channels, where new buds are developing on side branches, and potentially rupture those channels leading to the death of the buds (a phenomenon known as “lunar burn”, because it was so often noted around the full moon). Less vigorous, less juicy plants, like ground-covers or vines, conversely may benefit from being cut when sap flow is strong: it will stimulate the development of side shoots and encourage fuller, branching growth.

Those who work with plants every day have noticed differences in moisture content, flavor (meaning chemistry), and more.

In Her personal experimentation, she concluded that flavor and phytochemical variation is most noticeable as part of a seasonal cycle, but moisture content (once variables such as rainfall are accounted for) is very closely tied to lunar cycles.

Water weight in a botanical sample can vary up to 10% between the days just before the full moon and the week before the new moon. This parallels what researchers have found in lumber: wood from spruce and chestnut, harvested in the last week of the moon phase, has the lowest water percentage and shrinks the least during drying.3 It is rumored that the wooden stilts upon which Venice was built all were harvested during the last few days of the moon cycle: less water and denser fibers means less susceptibility to rotting and parasites.

Garden and Plant by the Moon's Phases Gardening by the Moon is a great way to plan your garden. Many of our readers follow the age-old practice of planting by the Moon’s phase for a healthier, more productive garden.

Gardening by the Moon isn’t anything new. Gardeners and farmers have been using moon-phase gardening for ages! Best of all, it’s a fairly simple process.

It’s said that seeds will absorb more water during the full Moon and the new Moon when more moisture is pulled to the soil surface. This causes seeds to swell, resulting in greater germination and better-established plants.

Moon phase gardening considers two periods of the lunar cycle: the time between the new Moon and the full Moon (the waxing of the Moon) and the time between the full Moon and the new Moon (the waning of the Moon). It’s considered best to plant certain types of plants during the waning of the Moon and other types during the waxing.

How to Plant by the Moon’s Phases:

• Plant your annual flowers and fruit and vegetables that bear crops above ground (such as corn, tomatoes, watermelon, and zucchini) during the waxing of the Moon—from the day the Moon is new to the day it is full. As the moonlight increases night by night, plants are encouraged to grow leaves and stems.
• Plant flowering bulbs, biennial and perennial flowers, and vegetables that bear crops below ground (such as onions, carrots, and potatoes) during the waning of the Moon—from the day after it is full to the day before it is new again. As the moonlight decreases night by night, plants are encouraged to grow roots, tubers, and bulbs.

See the "Planting by the moon" daily guide:

Effects on marine life

Moon-controlled rhythms in marine critters have been observed for centuries. For at least 15 years it's been known that corals, like many other species, contain light-sensitive proteins called cryptochromes, and have recently reported that in the stony coral, Dipsastraea speciosa, a period of darkness between sunset and moonrise appears key for triggering spawning some days later.

The bristle worm originally comes from the Bay of Naples but has been reared in laboratories since the 1950s. It is particularly well-suited for such studies. During its reproductive season, it spawns for a few days after the Full Moon: The adult worms rise en masse to the water surface at a dark hour, engage in a nuptial dance and release their gametes. After reproduction, the worms burst and die.

The tools the creatures need for such precision timing — down to days of the month, and then down to hours of the day. In the worm’s case, the requisite timing systems are a daily — or circadian — clock along with another, circalunar clock for its monthly reckoning.

Effects on humans

Humans, of course, also rely on moonlight. We did this much more so before the creation of artificial light, but some things haven't changed entirely. Some farmers plant crops based on the lunar schedule. There's a debate among farmers about whether planting by the moon has any positive effect on crops but The Old Farmer's Almanac still offers a Gardening by the Moon calendar.

Because the moon is so closely linked to life on Earth, it's difficult to know what's affected solely by the moon’s light and what's affected by additional factors, but its influence is undeniable. Why else would there be so many songs about it? For Example: Creedence Clearwater Revival - Bad Moon Rising

Assessment of effects of moon phases and hospital visits

Assessment of effects of moon phases on hospital outpatient visits

A paper on the "Assessment of effects of moon phases on hospital outpatient visits: An observational national study" shows that a vast amount of literature has been conducted in this field for investigating the association of different lunar phases with mental health, physical health, various diseases and human reproduction.

The literature has mixed reviews in terms of association and non-association of diseases with lunar phases. Some studies have found the linkage of the birth month with neurological, reproductive, endocrine, immunological and inflammatory diseases in the lifespan. Similarly, some studies have found a link between the moon and psychiatric, neurological and vascular illnesses.

The results of our study identified diseases that have significant variations during different lunar phases (non-moon and moon phases) for outpatient visits in the hospital.

On the other hand, some studies have found non-correlation of lunar phases with the medical conditions ranging from cardiac arrest to mental pathologies. A Few reviews found insufficient evidence to support the relationship between lunar cycles and human biology, birth, health aspects and other related activities.

Lunacy / Lunatic Lunacy is sometimes defined as an Intermittent mental derangement attributed to the changing phases of the moon.

The term "lunatic" derives from the Latin word lunaticus, which originally referred mainly to epilepsy and madness, as diseases thought to be caused by the moon. The King James Version of the Bible records "lunatick" in the Gospel of Matthew, which has been interpreted as a reference to epilepsy. By the fourth and fifth centuries, astrologers were commonly using the term to refer to neurological and psychiatric diseases. Pliny the Elder argued that the full moon induced individuals to lunacy and epilepsy by effects on the brain analogous to the nocturnal dew. Until at least 1700, it was also a common belief that the moon influenced fevers, rheumatism, episodes of epilepsy and other diseases.

In the Gospel of Matthew (17: 15–18), a father asks Jesus to cure his son because he is “lunaticus” (“Domine, misere filio meo, quia lunaticus est, et male patitur: nam saepecadit in ignem et crebro in aquam ... Et increpavit illum Jesus et exit ab eo daemo-nium et curatus est puer ex illa hora”). This is translated in the Bible of King James (1611) as follows: “Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed; for oft times he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water ... And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.” When this passage is compared with the other synoptic gospels (Luke 9: 37–43; Mark 9: 17–29), the most accurate description of the same episode leads us to understand that the boy is affected by epilepsy.

The term “lunaticus est” is the Latin translation of the Greek verb “σεληνιαζεται” (“seleniazetai”), which includes the prefix selen- (from σεληνη - the ancient Greek word for the moon). Therefore, the original meaning of the term “lunatic” seems to be linked to epilepsy, rather than insanity.

The term lunatic was sometimes used to describe those who sought to discover a reliable method of determining longitude, the main theory was the Method of Lunar Distances, advanced by Astronomer Royal Nevil Maskelyne.

Members of the Lunar Society of Birmingham called themselves lunaticks. In an age with little street lighting, the society met on or near the night of the full moon

The full moon provided an increase in the amount of nighttime illumination and caused a significant sleep disturbance as a result. “Recent research has shown that sleep disruptions of as little as 1.5 hours from baseline can induce mania and seizures in vulnerable people.

Menstruation cycles
Menstruation is a cyclical process, as are the phases of the Moon — from new moon to waning crescent. Little wonder, then, that poets, philosophers, and scholars have, over the centuries, drawn parallels between the two, suggesting that they might be connected.

The mystique of the Moon and that of female bodies — at a time when medicine was in its infancy — led Greek philosopher Aristotle to claim, in the 4th century before the common era, that:

“The menses tend to occur naturally during the waning moon. For this time of the month is colder and more humid because of the wasting and disappearance of the Moon.”

Age-old parallels between the menstrual cycle and the phases of the moon have likely also led to some females referring to their periods as “moon cycles” to this day.

Is there really a link between lunar cycles and menstrual cycles? In this Special Feature, we investigate. Synch or no synch? Popular belief and many works of literature suggest that there may be some synchronicity between menses and the phases of the Moon. However, that may be based on the similarity of duration between menstrual cycles and lunar cycles.

Parasites

Parasites are organisms that utilize their host for nutrition and survival. It is estimated that upwards of 70% of people might have parasitic infestations and they can manifest as various symptoms.

It’s been said that parasites are more active during a full moon. But it does feel kind of crazy to consult a moon phase calendar to time a parasite cleanse and maybe even a fast!

If your symptoms ramp up around a full moon cyclically, you likely have a parasitic infestation, and if this is true - then perhaps that's another cause of Lunacy?

Moonlight Effects on temperature?

It seems this topic is controversial, the only case studies were labeled as "Flat-earthers" and denied the effect of moonlight as cooling.

"Null" temperature result study by Dr. Faulkner, saying it's a flat-earther claim
Dr. Danny R. Faulkner in January 9, 2019 said:

Flat-earthers often claim that moonlight has a cooling property. The results of three independent experiments that test this claim. The results of all three experiments disprove the claim that moonlight cools objects exposed to it. Not only is this claim not supported by carefully conducted experiments, it defies all that we know about the nature of light and energy. Furthermore, this claim has nothing to do with flat-earth cosmology, and easily could be jettisoned by flat-earthers without jeopardizing their model.

Dr. Faulkner further explained that this moonlight cooling theory originated from Eric Dubay (2014), and theorized it probably came from David Wardlaw Scott’s book on the flat earth.

Faulkner's expirements were done with a simple IR-thermometer experiment many times. He said he have had difficulty repeating the results claimed by flat earthers. Some of my experiments have been informal, while others have been more carefully conceived.

Dr. Faulkner's experiments were performed as follows:

1. Temperature taken in moonlight with no canopy
2. Temperature taken in moonlight with a canopy
3. Temperature taken out of moonlight with a canopy
4. Temperature taken out of moonlight with no canopy

Professor Hawkins claims the moon does influence the temperature
According to the Guardian, The moon does influence the temperature here on Earth, although the old belief that frost is more likely during a full moon is unfounded. In an Article, Professor Ed Hawkins, Professor of Climate Science (NCAS) says:

"These lunar cycles can heat or cool the globe by about 0.04C at their extremes. That’s imperceptibly small to humans, but enough to influence climate change modelling. In particular, the effect may help explain an apparent slowdown in warming in the 2000s, and could fractionally increase warming in the 2030s.

The findings have yet to be confirmed, but this work provides an insight into the many complex factors that climate scientists have to deal with, and how they are working to account for every possible influence, even those that might at first seem like lunacy. (Did you noticed the pure "climate change" nonsense there?)

According to 9to5Science.com
the moon light cooling effect is caused by one of three possibilities:

Excessive Blocking

1. Blocking part of the sky: Probably the heat radiation from the object that you blocked the moonlight with is the cause. Also if the blocking object was close then you not only blocked the moonlight but also part of the sky, which has a very low radiation temperature. You can cool the object or use an object with very low emissivity in the infrared. I am assuming that all other radiation/heat sources, such as humans, had exactly constant impact in the experiment.
2. Excessive Blocking: The cooling effect may be attributable to the way you blocked the moonlight. If excessive blocking area is used then you are not only blocking radiation from the moon but also radiation coming out from the water into the dark sky, thus preventing water to cool. Try, if possible, to repeat the experiment making sure to use a "proper blocking area" and tell us the results. Or tell us if you have already used a "proper blocking area" to look for other explanation. (See image: Excessive Blocking)
3. Thermal infrared and Brightness: In thermal infrared, the moon is partly obscured by the atmosphere. The atmosphere has a bit of a window from about 8 micrometer to about 13 micrometer, the region of thermal infrared that your Fluke is probably sensitive to. However, there is absorption by ozone centered at 9.6 μm, which will affect the image to obscure the Moon. The emission at these wavelengths will brighten the background.

The observation of the moonlight having a cooling effect is controversial because:

• In the heliocentric model, it's not rational to say that hot light from the sun, bouncing off a rock could somehow scientifically become a cooling light.
• They will never state the moon might not be a shiny rock orbiting earth.
• They will never admit the possibility that the moon is beyond our limited understanding. Mainstream science wants you to believe they can understand everything.

Moonlight temperature experiments

"FlatRocky" performing moonlight temperature tests

A YouTube channel called "FlatRocky" performs moonlight temperature tests and records his findings. He has over 200 videos of this being done. His findings are pretty clear that there is a temperature difference in direct moonlight vs. the shade of moonlight.

Moon's Effect on weather

It's said the moon affects the weather is through indirect manipulation of ocean currents. The type of weather introduced will largely depend on the properties of the ocean water present in the affected current. (Warm water will favor cloud formation and is almost synonymous with tropical Cyclone development. Cold water, on the other hand, is more conducive to the creation of dry weather conditions.)

"Pale Moon rains. Red Moon blows. White Moon neither rains nor snows."

For generations, people have watched the Moon for signs of changes in the weather. The Moon does, in fact, affect the Earth's climate and weather patterns in several subtle ways.

pseudoscience warning
It's said a "second effect" of the moon on atmos conditions is it's impact on "polar" temperatures. Measurements taken by "satellite" showed that temperatures at the "Poles" are higher during Full Moon than New Moon.

On average, temperatures during Full Moon are 0.55° Celsius (0.99° Fahrenheit) higher than New Moon. These temperatures may seem small and insignificant, but even at this scale, it still has a significant effect on weather.

A less significant effect of the moon is its ability to increase air pressure at the edge of a "tidal bulge", as the increased water height causes the air to compress slightly. In this case, the increase in atmospheric pressure is not large enough to have any impact on the weather.

Every 18.6 years the Moon's orbit "wobbles" between a maximum and minimum of plus or minus 5 degrees relative to the Earth's equator. This cycle, first documented in 1728, is called the lunar nodal cycle. When the lunar plane tilts away from the equatorial plane, the tides on Earth grow smaller. When the Moon's orbit is more in line with the Earth's equator, the tides are exaggerated.

Now, NASA says (Which means the opposite it probably true) that rising sea levels due to climate change, combined with the influence of the lunar nodal cycle will cause a dramatic increase in the number of high-tide floods during the 2030s.

Hurricanes and the Full Moon Effect
During a full moon, the sun, Earth and the moon are arrayed in a straight line, intensifying their gravitational effects on the planet.

At that time, both the sun and moon are tugging on Earth. This pull can cause a bulge in the ocean that makes high tides a little higher than at other times of month. These tides are known as “spring” tides, so-called because high tides spring up higher than usual.

A full moon will not directly affect the weather, but when the tides and weather are working hand in hand, the situation can be exacerbated and cause problems on shore. If you have winds that are blowing the water on to the coast, then those are situations which bring the worst marine environment, including coastal flooding and higher than normal surf.

When the highest tides are occurring, you can get higher-than-normal water levels caused by the wind hitting the coast in a certain direction. Tidal forces might influence the intensity of storm systems, and there have been some correlations between storms occurring and being stronger during a full or new moon.

Moons effect on earthquakes

Scientists have long debated whether the movements of the Moon and the tidal stresses it generates play a role in triggering earthquakes, and now it looks like we might have an answer.

A new study by researchers in Japan suggests that large earthquakes are more likely to occur at times of a full or new Moon – the two lunar phases when tidal stresses on Earth are at their greatest.

Scientists from the University of Tokyo analysed three separate seismic databases – global data, plus records for California and Japan – looking at large earthquakes (with a magnitude 5.5 or greater) that occurred in the past two decades.

Focusing on the fortnight in the lead-up to these earthquakes, the team reconstructed the size – or amplitude – of tidal stresses at each point in time, and found that the largest quakes most often occurred on days near new or full Moons.

At these two points during the monthly lunar cycle, the Sun, Moon, and Earth all align, and the gravitational tug of the Moon on Earth is at its most intense.

Scientists have long speculated that this alignment could hypothetically influence earthquakes – due to a stronger-than-usual pull being exerted on fault-lines – and the Tokyo researchers' findings now suggests that's likely the case.

Some of the most powerful quakes in the past 20 years – including Sumatra, Indonesia in 2004 (magnitude 9.3); Maule, Chile in 2010 (8.8); and Tohoku-oki, Japan in 2011 (9.0) – coincided with high tidal stress.

All up, nine of the 12 largest earthquakes in the studied period – those with a magnitude of 8.2 or above – happened around a new or full Moon.

Interestingly, the team found no clear correlation between small earthquakes and tidal stresses, although the data does suggest that the proportion of large earthquakes (compared to small earthquakes) increases as tidal stresses become greater.

Moons Effect on Aurora Borealis

Contrary to what you may have read or heard elsewhere, the Aurora Hunter’s worst enemy is not a full moon. In fact, most Aurora hunters, guides and photographers rather like having a full moon in the sky because it is in itself a thing of great, great beauty and only really impacts negatively on weak Auroral displays.

No, the thing that Aurora hunters don’t like is cloud, especially, thick, dense blanket cloud cover which renders the night sky, and hence the Northern Lights, invisible. On such nights, you have to be prepared to drive for hours and hours in search of either clear skies or breaks in the cloud and even if you do find a gap, you are still relying on geomagnetic activity to provide the Northern Lights.

Obviously, the ideal situation for Northern Lights viewing is a completely clear sky but broken or limited cloud cover will provide some interesting contrast to an Auroral display. It’s just those frustrating nights when the cloud hangs heavy that cause the professionals to stomp around the house like bored kids on a rainy day during the school holidays.