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Old 01-17-07, 07:56 PM
Dana Gold Dana Gold is offline
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Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 953
Question how about real physics?

Melissa, you're probably wondering about the "moon" in such close proximity to the shown inhabitant's planet. Two things inre physics: First the "moon" might actually be the parent planet and be the larger of the two....or both may be of relative same size. Second, either way would be a disaster, as the gravitational forces of the hugely larger one would “lock” in the smaller and pull it towards it, causing a break-up and showering/impacting the larger with its “chunks”. Before that would occur. the resultant tidal effects would wreak havoc on both the parent planet's and "moon's" internal (core) make-up, oceans (if any) and weather systems (if any) depending upon atmosphere characteristics.

http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/moon/tidal.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tidal_force

The final analysis: The picture shown is sci-fi, fascinating, but not possible without the above happening.

Dana
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