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Before asking my question, I'd like to clarify why I'm asking about something so absurd. A supersitious claim has been bought to me that in the past, the moon was split and seperated as a sign. My attempts at dissuading them by pointing out that half of the planet failed to observe it has been met with the reply that this is because it took place for a short period of time. After which ofcourse the moon was returned to it's original form, leaving no evidence :)

I would like to know if there would've been any effect observable on Earth resulting from such a massive body being split in two. Perhaps something to do with the effect of the sudden change in the Moon's gravity on earth? Or perhaps some other factor that would make such an act impossible?

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    $\begingroup$ Someone who believes that 70 quintillion tons of rock can be separated and reassembled during recorded history without anyone else noticing or any obvious effects will handwave away any other attempt to convince them. It's definitely a lot easier to convince a small number of people to claim the event had occurred, and requires no supernatural intervention. $\endgroup$
    – notovny
    Oct 30, 2020 at 15:57
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    $\begingroup$ Your friend says that after the splitting, the moon was returned to it's original form, leaving no evidence? Well, "What can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence."-Hitchen's Razor. It's a waste of your time and totally unnecessary for you to refute his claim, instead I think it should be immediately dismissed. $\endgroup$
    – Connor Garcia ♦
    Oct 30, 2020 at 16:25
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    $\begingroup$ A friend of mine does Behavior Coaching for a living. I have had interactions with flat-earth believers and on one occasion my friend was with me. His observation is that they are often tied to their position for emotional reasons ... not rational reasons. Rational arguments may be ignored or viewed as an attack on whatever ties them to the emotional position (e.g. is your argument attacking the teaching of their religion, etc.?) Your arguments are unlikely to change their position. $\endgroup$
    – Tim Campbell
    Oct 30, 2020 at 17:01
  • $\begingroup$ @notovny (I'm xiu xiu. I wanted to ask the question anonymously because i was embarrassed but lost the browser session and now cant comment as xiu xiu) So far it was the lack of sightings that i tried to argue using. You mention "obvious effects". Could you point out some? $\endgroup$
    – MrFregg
    Oct 30, 2020 at 17:19
  • $\begingroup$ I think this the Muslim legend of the splitting of the Moon by the prophet Muhammed. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/…. Of course an infinitely powerful god could violate all physical laws, and of course atmospheric phenonomenon could create an optical illusion about the Moon, and of course Muhammed's believers could convince themselves they saw the moon split. $\endgroup$
    – M. A. Golding
    Oct 30, 2020 at 17:24

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No the energy required to do this would cause the moon to melt.

However the story of the spitting of the moon supposes a supernatural cause, and one which is not bound by the physical laws.

God could split the moon and put it back together by his word. And God could arrange so that only some people saw it and others looked away. When you bring God into your explanations the answer is always "yes he can". That's what being omnipotent means.

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