How the Full Moon Saved the World's Economy

If you have been following the world news lately, you may know that Ever Given was refloated today. The Ever Given was a massive cargo ship that got stuck in the Suez Canal last week. The Ever Given plugged up the Suez Canal, blocking ships from traveling through the canal. This halted the global shipping industry and caused a big problem for the economy. However, with the combined efforts of the countless hours of working and the moon working in its favor, the Ever Given was finally able to free itself.

Satellite Imagery of Ever Given in Suez Canal

The Ever Given got lodged in the Suez Canal last week and was visible from space. Russian cosmonaut Sergey Kud-Sverchov, who is on the ISS, captured pictures of the Ever Given in the Suez Canal from space. Satellite images also showed the congestion of ships waiting to go through the Suez Canal. Many reports say that the jam could take as long as 10 days to clear up. The number one priority was to get the Ever Given dislodged from the Suez Canal. Many tugboats and excavators were brought in to dig the ship out. However, the moon also played a big role in freeing the Ever Given.

Tides and the Effect of the Moon

The Moon is responsible for Earth’s tides. Tides occur because of the Moon’s gravity. As the Earth is constantly rotating, the Moon’s gravity is pulling at different parts of the Earth. While the Moon’s gravity also affects land on Earth, its main effect can be seen in the water with tides. Water wants to bulge in the direction of the moon, creating something scientists like to call the tidal force. Because of the tidal force, the part of the water that is closer to the Moon is referred to as high tide because the tide is higher than average.

However, tides become the most extreme when Earth aligns with the Sun and the Moon. This occurs when there is a Full Moon or New Moon because, during these phases, the Sun, Moon, and Earth are in line. During these two phases the gravity from the Moon and the Sun stack, creating larger and more extreme tides. This month, the Full Moon fell on Sunday, March 28, and the extreme tides from this Full Moon helped to dislodge the Ever Given, freeing up the canal and saving the world’s economy from any further disaster.

Earth, Sun, and Moon in Line, Causing More Extreme High Tides

Sources:

Bartels, Meghan. “Here's How the Full Moon Helped Free the Stuck Ship Ever Given in the Suez Canal.” Space.com, Space, 29 Mar. 2021, www.space.com/full-moon-helps-free-stuck-ship-suez-canal. 

“What Causes Tides?” NOAA SciJinks – All About Weather, scijinks.gov/tides/.