I’ve asked that question before, but the detailed answer, thank you, wasn’t what I asked for. So I make another attempt.
At any time, there is a point at which the Moon’s gravitational pull is maximum. What line is formed by these points on the surface of Belgium ?
To put it another way: suppose that Belgium is completely under water. Somewhere the gravitational pull of the moon is greatest and there is the top of a ‘mountain’ of water. A little later that mountain is in a different place. What is the line that describes all these ‘mountain peaks’? Actually, for the time being, I am only interested in the course of this line over Belgium.
Answer
The line you are talking about will never pass through Belgium!
The point on the Earth’s surface at which the Moon’s gravitational pull is maximum is always the point where the connecting line between the centers of Earth and Moon intersects the Earth’s crust. Because of the moon’s orbit and the Earth’s rotation, that point is always located between latitude 28 degrees north and latitude 28 degrees south, so always south of Belgium.
The point in Belgium where your ‘mountain’ of water is the largest, is therefore always the southernmost point of our country.
Answered by
Prof. dr. Christopher Waelkens
Astronomy
Old Market 13 3000 Leuven
https://www.kuleuven.be/
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