Anyone an astronomy buff?

[J0nnD0ugh]

http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/080229-spacecraft-anomaly.html

I'm not clear on this article. How are these spacecraft "passing the earth" & heading out of the solar system @ the same time?

[nyisles16]

Re: Anyone an astronomy buff?

http://www.space.com/scienceastronom...t-anomaly.html

I'm not clear on this article. How are these spacecraft "passing the earth" & heading out of the solar system @ the same time?

Basically they launch a rocket/space probe and use Earth as a "slingshot" to propel them into deep space. What these scientists are seeing is that they seem to pick up an unexplained speed as they pass around earth.. weird stuff

[ninjamonkey]

Re: Anyone an astronomy buff?

Really interesting.

Thanks for posting this--I love astronomy

[mgoblue]

Re: Anyone an astronomy buff?

Basically they launch a rocket/space probe and use Earth as a "slingshot" to propel them into deep space. What these scientists are seeing is that they seem to pick up an unexplained speed as they pass around earth.. weird stuff

Yeah, they're seeing the same sort of anomaly as what they saw when the Pioneers were leaving the solar system. Maybe with that information, along with what they're looking at now, they can figure out what causes these.

Cool stuff though, neat article to read!

[CMH]

Re: Anyone an astronomy buff?

I wonder what they think could be causing it. I know they mention the Earth's rotation but perhaps there is something else they want to theorize but are afraid to say just yet.

Interesting.

[J0nnD0ugh]

Re: Anyone an astronomy buff?

Basically they launch a rocket/space probe and use Earth as a "slingshot" to propel them into deep space. What these scientists are seeing is that they seem to pick up an unexplained speed as they pass around earth.. weird stuff

Aaah....thanks. I'm not much into space & physics & such. I try to learn a little of something on everything. I wonder if this unknown force maybe a defense against large debris like asteroids, keeping them from entering the earth's atmosphere.

[superjames1992]

Re: Anyone an astronomy buff?

That is interesting. When the use the earth's gravity to catapult them into space, I would think nothing like that would happen. This just shows how little we know about the world in which we live.

[ninjamonkey]

Re: Anyone an astronomy buff?

Aaah....thanks. I'm not much into space & physics & such. I try to learn a little of something on everything. I wonder if this unknown force maybe a defense against large debris like asteroids, keeping them from entering the earth's atmosphere.

What exactly do you mean a "defense against large debris"? The earth itself does not try to protect itself from asteroids.

[J0nnD0ugh]

Re: Anyone an astronomy buff?

What exactly do you mean a "defense against large debris"? The earth itself does not try to protect itself from asteroids.

I mean a natural defense. Like the atmosphere is a natural defense vs meteors because it burns much of the rocks before they hit the surface. I wonder if this "force" surrounding the planet isn't a natural defense that may cause larger objects to be hurled further away from the earth. Like I said, I know little about astronomy & physics so I'm very likely waaaayyy off.

[nyisles16]

Re: Anyone an astronomy buff?

I mean a natural defense. Like the atmosphere is a natural defense vs meteors because it burns much of the rocks before they hit the surface. I wonder if this "force" surrounding the planet isn't a natural defense that may cause larger objects to be hurled further away from the earth. Like I said, I know little about astronomy & physics so I'm very likely waaaayyy off.

well, the atmosphere does deflect smaller particles and space junk.. but a good sized chunk will always get through...

[J0nnD0ugh]

Re: Anyone an astronomy buff?

well, the atmosphere does deflect smaller particles and space junk.. but a good sized chunk will always get through...

I know. But w/out it, we'd look like the moon. There are a ton of natural "defenses" the planet has that keeps it from being bombarded like other planets, while still sustaining life. I just wonder if this anamoly around the earth's orbit could cause other bodies to accelerate as they approach the planet, causing them to miss the earth's orbit or escape its gravitational pull.

Just a layman wondering out loud....

[ninjamonkey]

Re: Anyone an astronomy buff?

Actually, the reason the moon looks far more cratered than the earth has to do with plate tectonics and volcanism among other things.

[J0nnD0ugh]

Re: Anyone an astronomy buff?

I've read the moon's gravitational pull also attracts meteors & other debris away from the earth. Again, part of the planet's defense system.

[ninjamonkey]

Re: Anyone an astronomy buff?

I think that's true, but quite frankly, Jupiter does most of the pulling among the planets and moons in our solar system.

[nyisles16]

Re: Anyone an astronomy buff?

I think that's true, but quite frankly, Jupiter does most of the pulling among the planets and moons in our solar system.

aww man.. I thought it was the "planetoid" Pluto