Originally posted by FabianFnasOrbits are chaotic but the earth moon system is isolated from the main masses of the solar system so aside from some planet sized body coming screaming from the Oort cloud caused by a passing star, there is nothing much to perturb the earh-moon system. Mars and Venus are, besides the sun, the largest gravitational system to effect the earth and the earth-moon system has been in place for about 4 billion years with little effect by either mars or venus. Remember, chaotic implies interactions with large numbers of gravitating bodies.
Don't think so.
Over long period of time, orbits in solar system are chaotic.
And therefore unpredictable.
You can't have a lot of chaos with a simple 2 body isolated system.
Originally posted by sonhouseYou don't have to have a lot of chaos when you have a lot of time.
You can't have a lot of chaos with a simple 2 body isolated system.
Earth/Moon system may seem to be a two-body system but the third body, the sun, disturbs enough to force us to take it into consideration. In fact, the sun is the third body to make the lunar orbit chaotic under long periods of time. And the rest of the solar system orbits chaotic.
The fourth object of disturbance is Jupiter. (Not Mars, not Venus.) The jovian pull of a regular basis and over a long period of time alters the orbit parameters of Earth/Moon system.
But if we only talk about millions of years, then you are quite right.
Originally posted by FabianFnasWell to me the proof is in the pudding. The earth moon system has lived together without much chaos changing things for the last 4 billion years. Seems like more than enough time for the combined efforts of the sun and jupiter to do the chaos thing.
You don't have to have a lot of chaos when you have a lot of time.
Earth/Moon system may seem to be a two-body system but the third body, the sun, disturbs enough to force us to take it into consideration. In fact, the sun is the third body to make the lunar orbit chaotic under long periods of time. And the rest of the solar system orbits chaotic.
T ...[text shortened]... of Earth/Moon system.
But if we only talk about millions of years, then you are quite right.
For instance, chaos can change orbital elliptical shapes and such but look at the eccentricity of the earh's orbit, its pretty darned near circular, only a couple of percent elliptical. That tells me not much has disturbed the eaths orbit over the last billion years and even if the orbit had been disturbed it would take the moon with it. There isn't much of a way for the moon to be independently effected by gravitational effects from the sun or jupiter.
Originally posted by sonhouseThis is one of your most boring sentences ever.
Orbits are chaotic but the earth moon system is isolated from the main masses of the solar system so aside from some planet sized body coming screaming from the Oort cloud caused by a passing star, there is nothing much to perturb the earh-moon system.
Were it not for the spelling mistake, it might induce a seizure in the average human brain.
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Originally posted by BowmannConsidering the form and not the content to be the essence of your idea of communcation, I am not suprised. Your barbs have no more sting especially since you have nothing else to contribute but grousing.
This is one of your most boring sentences ever.
Were it not for the spelling mistake, it might induce a seizure in the average human brain.