Mike Egbcrt, age 9, of Sioux City, Iowa, for his question:

What would happen if we lost the moon?

First of all we would miss our beautiful satellite hanging up there in the sky. There would be no lunar lamp to light dark nights. There would bo no eclipses to wait for and watch with wonder. The moon wruld be a great loss as a spectacle, but we could get used. to this loss.

A more important loss would be the tide. For the moon causes the oceans to wash up and down on the beaches. The tides churn up the ocean waters and mix them ‑ warm water with cold, fresh water with salt.

True, the level of water would, remain the same in beeches, harbors and in river mouths. But this would not be good. Tides wash debris from the beaches and draw stale water from the piers and harbors. If then. were no moon to mako the tides our beautiful sandy beeches would not be washed as clean for us to enjoy.