[extropy-chat] Astronomical question

[spike]

> bounces at lists.extropy.org] On Behalf Of spike
...
> Subject: RE: [extropy-chat] Astronomical question
...
> 
> Set up the equation Mike.  You can see that the moon already
> carries most of the angular momentum of the earth-moon system
> and you know how to calc the orbit time as a function of distance...
> spike


I realized that there are others reading this who may
be interested in the calc who are not as up to speed
on orbits as you are Mike, so: the angular velocity of
an orbiting body is proportional to the inverse square
root of the distance from the earth, so since I = mR^2(omega) 
for the moon and in the final configuration the moon is
carrying practically *all* the angular momentum of the
system, and we calculated before that the moon's angular
momentum was going from about 2.7 to 3.4, then the
distance must be about 4e8 * (3.4/2.7)^.5 = about 4.5e8 
meters.  Does that sound about right?  Of course you
could sharpen the calcs if you find it necessary.

So after we get tidelocked to the moon, our day length
will be a little longer than the current lunal month
and the moon will still look about the same as it 
does now, or perhaps a *little* less dramatic when it 
rises over the horizon while you gaze into your 
sweetheart's eyes.
  
But you could still impress her or him or it by pointing 
out that the full moon has an apparent diameter of about 
27 arc minutes, but it once was about 30.  Of course 
you would need to be one of the fortunate ones on the 
side of the earth that could actually see the moon 
after tidelock.

Also when I mentioned your sweetheart's eyes and offered
a third alternative besides her or him, I reason it
is uncertain how many eyes she, he or it might have, for 
the time it will take to tidelock the moon allows plenty 
of time for evolution to take life in a random direction, 
i.e. billions of years.  

spike