How to Get to The Sun

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Sigity

Senior member
Jan 29, 2001
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Force of gravity:

(G(a constant) * M1 (Mass of first object) * M2 (mass of second object))/(r^2(radius between them))

so yes, the gravititational force that the sun exerts on the earth is a lot greater than the force it exerts on a spaceship. Also...before making it to the sun, we would have to worry about the gravitational effects of the other planets first.

i think we ater's should do it.
 

ISAslot

Platinum Member
Jan 22, 2001
2,891
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MichaelD

I remember watching NOVA with my dad too, and I watch discovery and TLC all the time as well. :) My dad is really fasinated with space, so much so that he bought one of these (Meade DS-16, this one is a bit customized though) in the late 80's.

Concerning Jupiter, its size is so amazingly inconceivable. I find it fascinating to think like I'm falling into it. At first you'd pass through mainly gaseous hydrogen with other gases mixed in, then the hydrogen gets thicker and thicker until it becomes a liquid. What's cool about this is there's no surface like between the ocean and the air here on Earth, it just blurs into a liquid. Now your in a sea of hydrogen basically. If you keep going into the planet the hydrogen gets denser and denser, until the hydrogen becomes able to conduct electricity. If you pass that you get to a center of molten rock.

My dad got me a book that explains the planets. I find this stuff really thought provoking. There is all the words out there doing all these cool things and there's no one there watching it. Like on Europa for example, it would be so awesome to find an alien world under there with all kinds of odd and unique creatures. :)
 

TheOverlord

Platinum Member
Oct 17, 2000
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<<

<< How to Get to The Sun >>



At night of course so that you won't get burn't :D
>>



Arg, you beat me to it...one of my favorite lines to use when talking about space too...
 

thEnEuRoMancER

Golden Member
Oct 30, 2000
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<< Good stuff Kami, let me add a interesting bit of triva. Due to the many adsorbtion, reemission cycles photons must go through to get to the surface the total trip time from the center of the sun to the &quot;surface&quot; is something like 10,000 years! This bit comes from my QM professor and is based on models being used in the '70s, the order of magnetude should be correct. >>



The order of magnitude is more like 1,000,000 years.
 

thEnEuRoMancER

Golden Member
Oct 30, 2000
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Any stationary object on Earth's surface is travelling with 67 mph relative to Sun and with ~1000 mph relative to the centre of our our Galaxy. In order to reach Sun, you don't need to slow down to zero velocity relative to the Sun, but move in a region where Sun's attractive force is greater than Earth's. The quickest way would be directly towards Sun.

Can anyone verify the following statement: if the distance from Sun to Earth is roughly 150,000,000 km and if the Sun's mass is roughly 330,000 times Earth mass then the point where Sun's attractive force equals Earth's attractive force is approx. 260,000 km away from Earth.