Does the Supermoon cause tsunamis?

Thanks to our satellite, the night from Sunday to Monday was much brighter than usual. This spectacle, which it was not given 70 yearshas attracted a lot of attention from millions of people, who have not hesitated to take their mobile phones or digital cameras to capture the special moment.

But Is the Supermoon related to tsunamis?

Why do the tides occur?

Image - Historiesandbiographies.com

Tides are periodic oscillations in sea level that are caused by the attraction that the moon exerts on the waters. As the satellite rotates around the Earth, masses of water are lifted towards it by its attractive force, while at the same time those that are in the antipodes also rise due to the centrifugal force of the rotation of our planet.

In this phenomenon the sun also plays an important role, and it is that when lunar and solar attraction go in the same direction, they give rise to spring tides; however, when the sun and moon exert their attraction perpendicularly, forming a right angle, neap tides occur. If you want to know more about the Supermoon phenomenon, you can consult What is perigee?. Also, if you're interested in the impact of the Supermoon on natural phenomena, don't hesitate to research more about .

Can the moon cause tsunamis?

Image - EFE

Knowing this, one might think that the moon can cause tsunamis. But is that true? Our satellite takes about 28 to 30 days to orbit the Earth. During those days, it goes through different phases (new, waxing, waning, and full). As we have seen, its gravitational pull is very important for the production of tides, which are strongest when full for being closer to the planet.

However there is no relationship between the moon and tsunamis, as these are phenomena that occur as a result of an earthquake or an asteroid impact. For more information about the moon's effects on Earth, you can read about .