A neap tide is a tide in which the difference between high and low tide is the least. It occurs twice a month when the Sun and Moon are at right angles to the Earth
. This results in moderate tides, with high tides being a little lower and low tides a little higher than average
. Neap tides occur seven days after a spring tide, which is when the Sun and Moon are aligned, creating the greatest tidal bulge
. This phenomenon is due to the gravitational pull of the sun and the moon, which partially cancel each other out during a neap tide, leading to a minimal tidal range
