Around each new moon and full moon, the sun, Earth, and moon arrange themselves more or less along a line in space. Then the pull on the tides increases, because the gravity of the sun reinforces the moon's gravity. In fact, the height of the average solar tide is about 50 percent of the average lunar tide.

How does the sun's gravity influence tides?

Sun has gravity because it has mass. How does the sun's gravity affect the tides? ... When the Sun and Moon align with the Earth, they both pull on the oceans, creating higher high tides and lower low tides; occurs during the full and new moon.

Does the gravitational pull of the sun affect tides?

When the gravitational pull of the Sun and moon are combined, you get more extreme high and low tides. This explains high and low tides that happen about every two weeks.