When the moon drops out of the scene the stars shine in all their grandeur. While a moonless sky is an uplifting sight, I'd miss the extra dimension Earth's orbital companion brings to the night sky were it to disappear for good. The moon stabilizes Earth's axis. Without it, the planet would wobble and result in radical changes in climate. Not to mention smaller tides, effects on nocturnal species and sweet romance. The past week (July 6-12) the…