Orbit of the Moon attraction that the Moon exerts on Earth is the cause of tides in the sea; the Sun has a smaller tidal influence. If Earth had a global ocean of uniform depth, the Moon would act to deform both the solid Earth (by a small amount) and the ocean in the shape of an ellipsoid with the high points roughly beneath the Moon and on the opposite side of Earth. However, because of the presence of the continents, Earth's much faster rotation and varying ocean depths, this simplistic visualisation does not happen. Although the tidal flow period is generally synchronized to
Sun and Moon (Middle-earth) the Narsilion, the "Song of the Sun and Moon". The published "Silmarillion" states that the Sun was created by the Vala Aulë; he and his people made a vessel to hold the radiance of the last fruit of Laurelin. The vessel of the sun was guided by Arien, a Maia. Names of the Sun amongst the Elves included Anar or "The Fire-golden", a name given to it by the Vanyar; Anor, the common name for the Sun in Sindarin, as seen in "Minas Anor" (later Minas Tirith) and the Gondorian province of "Anórien"; and Vása, or "Heart of Fire", a