How the moon influences temperatures on Earth

A study suggests lunar cycles can heat or cool the globe by 0.04C - enough to affect climate change modelling

The moon does influence the temperature here on Earth, although the old belief that frost is more likely during a full moon is unfounded.

New research by Prof Ed Hawkins and colleagues at the University of Reading looks at the regular 18.6-year cycle during which the moon's orbital plane shifts in relation to the Earth's equator. This cycle has been known since prehistoric times, and can be observed by slight changes in where the moon rises and sets. The cycle affects tides and how warm water from the surface of the ocean mixes with colder water below. This in turn influences how rapidly the sea absorbs heat.