anneguineapig

There would be many effects on earth if either the sun or moon did not exist. Even the things that we take for granted such as the seasons depend on the sun and are affected by the moon. What would we see if the sun blew up? If the sun did not exist then what would happen to us? There are many questions about the effects of the sun and moon on life on earth and on this page I hope to answer some of these.

What would happen if the sun blew up or didn’t exist at all?
The sun will last about another 5 billion years. During this time the earth would have been expected to have experienced extreme temperatures as the sun gets hotter and engulfs the earth, as well asexperiencing violent collisions with comets.

If the sun went out the earths temperature would drop to below O degrees C in less than one week however the earth itself would take a while to cool down completely to the temperature of the interstellar medium (between -170 and -260 degrees C).

All plants would die as they would not be able to produce any food. Plants rely on the sun for photosynthesis. Therefore all herbivores would die. This would cause other effects in the food chain leading to the extinction of all living things.

Although there are a few theories on how we could  avoid the cold, human life could not exist for long under these conditions. One theory is that we could live on submarines the other is using nuclear or geothermal power. The question regarding these theories is whether we would have enough food.

As well as this it is the sun that holds us in orbit. If this sun was to suddenly disapear then the earth would be no longer held in orbit and would just drift away.

As well as this the moon would not be able to shine. Moon light is actually sunlight that is reflected off the moon’s surface and towards earth.

What would happen without moon?
 Without a moon the earth would have no light at night.

There is also evidence that the moon stabilises the earths tilt. If there was no moon then the tilt of the earths axis may be different causing different and other new seasons. There is also a theory that if there was no moon the earth wouldn’t have a tilt. Therefore around the equator it would always be summer and at the poles it would always be winter. In between it would be autumn or spring.

The moon also controls the tides. If there were not tides the currents may change, there may also be more flooding.

Nocturnal animals will also be effected. Some animals only hunt in the night and they sleep during the day. These animals rely on the light of the moon. Without the moon they would not be able to see. Animals who live near the sea or on the beaches would also be effected because of the inconsistencies in the tides.