Moon clouds. The illuminated area of the visible sphere (degree of illumination) is given by formula_3, where formula_4 is the elongation (i.e., the angle between Moon, the observer (on Earth) and the Sun). The gravitational attraction that masses have for one another decreases inversely with the square of the distance of those masses from each other. As a result, the slightly greater attraction that the Moon has for the side of Earth closest to the Moon, as compared to the part of the Earth opposite the Moon, results in tidal forces. Tidal forces affect both the Earth's crust and oceans. The
Sun and Moon (Middle-earth) light of the Sun before it was tainted by Melkor when he ravished Arien. The name of Narsil, the sword of King Elendil (later reforged for Aragorn as Andúril), contains the elements "nar" and "thil," "fire" and "white light" respectively in Quenya, referring to the Sun and Moon. The Man in the Moon is even described in those writings, as being an old Elf who secretly hid on the island of the Moon, and built a minaret there. This is alluded to further in Tolkien's "Roverandom", in which the Man in the Moon also lives in a minaret. Combined with