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Author Topic: Astrophysics question... [Locked]
Kamdar  1 star
Posts: 147
Registered: 2001-10-7 05:01:29
Soo..Here I was looking up at the full moon today and got to wondering something.

In alot of space movies, they put these HUGE planets real close to other planets. SO much so that the planets tke up 50% of the view from the ground to sky.

Is that even possible? It is kind of awe inspiring to think that you could look up and see multiple planets in plain view, but is that even possible? I mean, move the moon a few thousand miles closer and it would wreak havoc on the Earth.

Can you have big planetary masses near another planet and not cause havoc? To see that type of vista, does thehome planet need to be gigantic to help counter act the gravitational forces from the other planet/moon?

 

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Moe_Nox  4 stars
Title: In Moe We Trust
Posts: 1,962
Registered: 2007-2-4 12:17:56
Possible? Place yourself on a moon of Jupiter. Tilt head back and look up. You're welcome.

 

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RHWarrior  3 stars
Posts: 770
Registered: 2009-9-30 18:42:12
Need to factor in that movies and illustrations use quite some artisfic freedom to create a certain look and feel.
Which is nice for us viewers!

 

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Kamdar  1 star
Posts: 147
Registered: 2001-10-7 05:01:29
Moe_Nox posted:

Possible? Place yourself on a moon of Jupiter. Tilt head back and look up. You're welcome.



doh..I was looking at it from a planet to planet basis.

Didn't even factor in a habitable moon.

/slaps self for stupidity.

 

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NuEM  4 stars
Posts: 1,007
Registered: 2004-3-2 09:08:11
You mean those movies where space ships make clearly audible noise while in space? Not to mention pew pew lasers? Where they take off seemingly at the speed of WWII fighter planes to reach orbit 15 seconds later? Where they fly through the vacuum yet seem bound to some weird laws of aerodynamics? That kind of stuff?

 

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sweeny_comodore  4 stars
Posts: 1,216
Registered: 2007-8-23 18:47:04
Moe_Nox posted:

Possible? Place yourself on a moon of Jupiter. Tilt head back and look up. You're welcome.



 

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Ptilk  4 stars
Title: Creepy old pirate
Posts: 2,359
Registered: 2002-2-13 14:52:58
Read up on Roche limit, it's an interesting topic.

BTW, a couple of the moons of Jupiter actually exceed the Roche limit.....but that's because they are solid bodies not living worlds.
reesescups  4 stars
Title: //Captain America
Posts: 2,537
Registered: 2003-5-26 14:45:53
even the moons of Jupiter experience havoc though... They have internal heat that is fueled by the gravitational forces pulling and tugging on the planet much like our moon drives tidal forces. Think of it as 100% gravitational tidal plate tectonics...

 

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Clackdor  1 star
Posts: 163
Registered: 2001-9-21 12:10:52
Artistic license. You won't generally see that. It would be quite rare.

 

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illmyrin  3 stars
Posts: 705
Registered: 2001-12-25 11:52:26
Kamdar posted:

Can you have big planetary masses near another planet and not cause havoc? To see that type of vista, does thehome planet need to be gigantic to help counter act the gravitational forces from the other planet/moon?



That's totally dependent on the masses involved but yes. For example, had our moon been formed by a more coral like, less dense/heavy, material it's natural orbit would bring it closer to earth but it's effects on earth would be similar to our current moon. It's all about the objects gravity interaction and gravity relates to mass. So if our moon was less massive it could be a lot closer and take up more space in our sky.

 

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