Walking along a beach, you can see the shells, driftwood and seaweed created by the retreating tide. When you look up towards the Moon, you see its influence to understand how the tides on our planet are formed. Although the Moon may seem distant, its gravitational pull on Earth plays a critical role in the formation of tides.

Walking along a beach, you can see the shells, driftwood and seaweed created by the retreating tide. When you look up towards the Moon, you see its influence to understand how the tides on our planet are formed. Although the Moon may seem distant, its gravitational pull on Earth plays a critical role in the formation of tides.

As the waters ebb and flow, you are watching a cycle of the ever-changing distribution of the oceans on our planet. The gravitational pull of the Moon slightly alters the shape of the Earth, resulting in lengthening at the equator and shortening at the poles. This effect can be measured on the solid surface with scientific instruments, but we can also observe the same changes in the oceans by travelling along the coast.

The image shows the waning crescent Moon orbiting over the Swiss Alps 262 miles above the International Space Station. The Moon is surrounded by the darkness of space as it floats above the blue glow of Earth's atmosphere. The Earth's surface appears shrouded in clouds.