NASA takes image of 'smiling' sun – but it's no laughing matter

Yes, it is. When I was in Climate Change classes I asked about the effect of the sun and orbits on our weather and climate. The silence was deafening.

The moon also has a direct effect on the earth by creating tides and stabilizing our rotation. It is gradually pulling away from earth and that is lengthening our day. If I remember right, days used to only be 5 hours long when the moon was first formed and closer to the earth.

Hope I haven't bored you with things you already know. I find, every now and then, things bubble up from college that I haven't thought about for years