[extropy-chat] Astronomical question

[Ian Goddard]

--- spike <spike66 at comcast.net> wrote:
 
> This is not right.
> 
> 
> >  The Oxford Dictionary of Astronomy [...]
> >
> > "A new process will then begin in which the
> > Sun's tide-raising power takes angular momentum
> > from the Earth-Moon system. The Moon will then 
> > spiral in closer to the Earth until it is torn 
> > to pieces when it enters the Earth's Roche 
> > limit." (page 461)
> 
> 
> I have checked my calcs and I can't find the error.
> The sun tide effect is not sufficient to draw the
> moon all the way back down to the Roche limit, not
> even all that close.  
> 
> Anyone else calc differently?


 I'd presume someone has gotten different results. The
author of the text is Ian Ridpath, whom you can
contact at (ian at ianridpath.com). It might be worth
it to run your analysis past him to see what's up.

~Ian


		
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