We all know that tides are influenced by the Moon, but how does that connection work and how can we predict the tides more than a year in advance?

 

They are just two of many questions the Bureau of Meteorology is answering this National Science Week (10-18 August), with the theme: Destination Moon: more missions, more science.

 

Jessica Sweeney, Bureau of Meteorology Ocean Analyst, tells Luke Grant the tide in any place is affected by the moon and several other factors.

 

"Gravitational forces of the earth, moon and sun drives the tide, but few people know that the combination of these forces sloshes the deep ocean water back and forth.

 

"The resulting long waves then move around the globe and interact with the continental land masses. Calculating these effects at the coast is complex," Jessica says.