The Sun plus the collection of bodies in orbit around the Sun such as planets, dwarf planets, moons, asteroids, comets, etc.
Questions tagged [solar-system]
694 questions
10
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How big is the Solar System?
How big is the solar system?
By "big", I guess I mean "wide", i.e. how far away from the Sun is the farthest object that is considered part of the Solar System?
I've checked Wikipedia's pages on the Solar System, as well as Pluto, the Kuiper belt,…
gkrogers
10
votes
2 answers
When the Sun goes red giant, will it "vaporize" away a significant fraction of Jupiter and Saturn moons?
Since Jupiter and Saturn's moons are composed of a rock+ice mix. For example, Callisto is 50% rock and 50% ice. When the Sun finally goes red giant, could it melt a significant portion of the 50% of Callisto that is ice? And over what timescale?
InquilineKea
- 3,662
9
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2 answers
Where will New Horizons go after sailing past Pluto?
The New Horizons Spacecraft is scheduled to whiz by Pluto around 2015, and my understanding is that it is going to do exactly that — whiz by it.
Where will it go after that? Or what else can it do once that mission is completed?
LarsTech
- 550
6
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1 answer
How do geocentric theories explain seasons?
Did the geocentric theorists also use the fact that the earth had an axis tilt? Or was their explanation of some other kind?
theVerma
- 81
5
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1 answer
What is the position and orientation of the Earth as a function of time
I would like to know the position and orientation of the Earth, relative to the sun, as a function of time.
I.e. select any coordinate system with the Sun at the origin so that the earth lies in the x-y coordinate plane. Provide a function which…
MRocklin
3
votes
1 answer
How much of the current Solar System's properties is determined by the initial macroscopic state?
Quoting Wikipedia:
The nebular hypothesis says that the Solar System formed from the gravitational collapse of a fragment of a giant molecular cloud.
The question is: how much of the current form of the Solar System is determined by the…
Lior
- 3,309
3
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1 answer
When will Enceladus run out of water?
So its geyser eruptions are the primary source of water in Saturn's atmosphere (from this thread). And they even manage to contaminate Titan's atmosphere with it.
But has the outgassing rate decreased over time? Could it eventually run out of water?
InquilineKea
- 3,662
2
votes
1 answer
Calculating the Suns vector and distance from the Earth at one time
I am developing a C++ program where I'd like to be able to see the Suns direction vector and distance from Earth at a given time, since 2000 Jan 0.0 TDT.
The reference frame I want to calculate it is from the Earth, with the up vector running along…
user1926
1
vote
0 answers
Parabolic collector and Angle of incidence
Would a static non movable parabolic solar collector always focus the light hitting such collector to the same position of its focus?..
Or it's focal position would vary depending on where the sun is hitting the collector?
Omar Bastardo
- 11
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1
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Why does it takes so much time for photons to reach surface of sun from its core?
I have read somewhere that the time taken by photons to reach the surface of sun is very large as compared to time it takes to reach earth from the surface of sun . Is the presence of dense gases in sun reason for that.
Preet Bhati
- 73
1
vote
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How did micrometeorite flux change with the age of the solar system?
Do we also have functions for the micrometeorite flux on the Moon, Mars, and even any random body in space as a function of solar distance too?
InquilineKea
- 3,662
1
vote
0 answers
Formation of Saturn's Rings
Assuming the rings of Saturn started out as a disorganized cloud of debris, what forces made these rings so thin and flat? Does frame dragging play a part in this?
bob
- 39
0
votes
1 answer
Does the length of a solar cycle (11 Years) change for different planets?
I know that solar cycles (minimum/maximum) last for 11 years each, but is this in earth years, or is this time period consistent across every planet?
For example, on Mars, would a solar cycle last for 5.8482532751 years, or 11 years? (See…
T BC
- 3
0
votes
2 answers
Why are the seasons reversed between the northern and southern hemispheres?
Why is it winter in the north when it's summer in the south, and vice versa?
I know the standard answer to this question is "because of the Earth's axial tilt, at a point in the Earth's orbit where the northern half is inclined towards the sun, the…
Mason Wheeler
- 2,162
0
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1 answer
The sun energy/force
The sun only generates a milliwatt per kilogram(or even less) so is the sum a feeble energy source compared to an ant or any form of life here on Earth? In order to clarify my perspective on how a body like the sun relates to a body like an ant I…
jim meyer
- 21