If the moon blew up though, all that would really be affected (aside from the Earth-Moon mutually geosynchronous orbit no longer causing Earth's rotation to slow down) would be that the tides would be a lot less pronounced. Only the Sun would be providing said tides as well, so the tides would go in and out a lot slower. The earths axial tilt would be unaffected. Not sure how it would be.
The sun exerts torque on the Earth, so over a very long period it can affect the axial tilt (on top of the presently existing axial precession).
Proof that the sun is the bee's knees. We need it for so many things. What would happen if the sun blew up? Clearly a more important question than the moon. The moon is all wet.
The Earth would experience permanent instability. The moon holds the Earth's rotational axis at a constant 20-something degrees. If the moon disappeared then the rotational axis will spin wildly about. One day the hottest spot of the planet will be Antarctica, the next will be Siberia.
“Daddy, I had a bad dream.”You blink your eyes and pull up on your elbows. Your clock glows red in the darkness — it’s 3:23. “Do you want to climb into bed and tell me about it?”“No, Daddy.”The oddness of the situation wakes you up more fully. You can barely make out your daughter’s pale form in the darkness of your room. “Why not, sweetie?”“Because in my dream, when I told you about the dream, the thing wearing Mommy’s skin sat up.”For a moment, you feel paralyzed; you can’t take your eyes off of your daughter. The covers behind you begin to shift.
One day the hottest spot of the planet will be Antarctica, the next will be Siberia.
If by 'one day' you mean 'hundreds of millions of years', then yes. This idea that the moon is the only thing stopping the Earth from tumbling wildly out of control is absolute ********. Yes, the moon has a stabilizing effect on the rotational axis, no that doesn't mean the Earth would spin sideways tomorrow if it wasn't there.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Never attribute to malice what can adequately be explained by incompetence.
The man on the moon would get ticked off and demand that you build him a new satellite home made of cheese. And honestly, I'd want to move in with him, because Earth would be screwed. :tongue.gif:
Regardless of the petty details, the point is that the earth's orbit will be destabilized and it will eventually careen into either the sun or the middle of nowhere, either would result in the end of mankind, albeit not immediately.
Regardless of the petty details, the point is that the earth's orbit will be destabilized and it will eventually careen into either the sun or the middle of nowhere, either would result in the end of mankind, albeit not immediately.
Physics fail. The potential energy of Earth would have slightly increased or decreased if the orbit were altered. Ever wonder why there are so many things orbiting other things in the universe? It's because all orbits are stable(as long as there is not enough kinetic/potential energy to eventually reach escape velocity).
the point is that the earth's orbit will be destabilized and it will eventually careen into either the sun or the middle of nowhere
No, no it won't. The moon does not stabilize the Earth's orbit, it stabilizes its axial tilt. It does almost nothing for Earth's orbit since both the Earth and the moon are collectively orbiting the sun.
Kepler and Newton are rolling in their graves.
It's because all orbits are stable(as long as there is not enough kinetic/potential energy to eventually reach escape velocity).
Not all orbits are stable. Systems with more than two bodies are highly chaotic and energy can be transferred between bodies in the system allowing some to be ejected entirely.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Never attribute to malice what can adequately be explained by incompetence.
It would be the apopolypse. RIght away there would be a global tsunami as the tides drop and roll over entire contenents from inertia. Once it settles the low tide would be 500+ feet above sea level. The sun would take over the tides and every day there would be a tsunami that rolls over everything in daylight. Nights would be much darker.
*there may or may not be cake
only in that it would stop slowing down.
If the moon blew up though, all that would really be affected (aside from the Earth-Moon mutually geosynchronous orbit no longer causing Earth's rotation to slow down) would be that the tides would be a lot less pronounced. Only the Sun would be providing said tides as well, so the tides would go in and out a lot slower. The earths axial tilt would be unaffected. Not sure how it would be.
DEAL WITH IT.
DEAL WITH IT.
The sun exerts torque on the Earth, so over a very long period it can affect the axial tilt (on top of the presently existing axial precession).
Proof that the sun is the bee's knees. We need it for so many things. What would happen if the sun blew up? Clearly a more important question than the moon. The moon is all wet.
And then the planet would desynchronize it's orbit and that would be pretty much it for life on earth.
My DeviantArt, so sexy
YEAH. Nom nom nom.
Seriously. :dry.gif:
**** bring in jingles
If by 'one day' you mean 'hundreds of millions of years', then yes. This idea that the moon is the only thing stopping the Earth from tumbling wildly out of control is absolute ********. Yes, the moon has a stabilizing effect on the rotational axis, no that doesn't mean the Earth would spin sideways tomorrow if it wasn't there.
My humble LPs can be found here.
Physics fail. The potential energy of Earth would have slightly increased or decreased if the orbit were altered. Ever wonder why there are so many things orbiting other things in the universe? It's because all orbits are stable(as long as there is not enough kinetic/potential energy to eventually reach escape velocity).
Like anime? Try Visual Novels.
No, no it won't. The moon does not stabilize the Earth's orbit, it stabilizes its axial tilt. It does almost nothing for Earth's orbit since both the Earth and the moon are collectively orbiting the sun.
Kepler and Newton are rolling in their graves.
Not all orbits are stable. Systems with more than two bodies are highly chaotic and energy can be transferred between bodies in the system allowing some to be ejected entirely.
So why is my post about Luna coming to wreck this place the most rep'd post?