What would likely happen if the sun, moon, and earth are positioned far apart from one another?

When the sun, moon, and Earth are positioned relatively far apart from one another, the gravitational pull exerted by the sun and moon on the Earth's oceans is less intense. This diminished gravitational influence results in less extreme tidal variations. Neap tides, which occur during the first and third quarters of the moon when the sun and moon are at right angles relative to the Earth, experience less tidal fluctuation compared to spring tides. During neap tides, the high tides are lower, and the low tides are higher, leading to a smaller difference between them.

In this scenario, the far positioning of these celestial bodies would align more closely with the conditions that give rise to neap tides, resulting in a more subdued tidal range. Therefore, the understanding of tidal patterns and their relationship to the positioning of the sun, moon, and Earth supports the assertion that neap tides would occur under these conditions.