View Full Version : sattelite shadows
learningisfun
May1-09, 09:55 AM
Another noob qeustion that I do not have the knowledge to figure out.
It's is possible to see the shadow of a sattilte?
mgb_phys
May1-09, 10:13 AM
You mean an artificial satellite, rather than the moon (in astronomy moons are properly called satellites)
The sun has an angular diameter of around 0.5 degree so the shadow will form a cone with an angle of 0.5 deg.
Say a satellite is 2-3m across (eg Hubble) then the cone will be 500m long (easy to see if you draw a sketch)
So unless you are in orbit less than 500m from the satellite - no you wont see a shadow
learningisfun
May1-09, 10:45 AM
oh , thats amazing, the sun is far larger,
*draws out sketch* troginnometry ^.^
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