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Andreameda
I'm a writer, damn it, not a physicist! My imagination takes me to a world where a moon can be a habitable planet that orbits the largest planet possible that could be completely engulfed by liquid water.
Andreameda said:As a writer I feel I'm cheating here not doing the work all myself, sort of like peeking over and stealing someone's notes. A fictional book or screenplay must capture the wide-eyed wonder of a mainstream audience and visual illustrations go a long way in this regard. But the physics must mesh for it to be true science fiction and not utter fantasy.
and reduce the amount of light reflected from the larger planet at night(it would only rarely be a fully illuminated disc).
As snorkack said, with that setup, the disc's diametre on the sky would be ~40 times as large as that of the Moon(or the Sun), or approximately the width of a handspan at arm's length, or 1/9th of the East-West arc across the sky.Andreameda said:What I'd need to inform an illustrator who, like me, cannot decipher or make heads or tails of what you just said, is approximately how big "Uranus" would appear in the sky? Say, as compared to the our own moon.
It is possible for a moon orbiting a water-giant planet to have a similar atmosphere to Earth, but it depends on several factors such as the size and composition of the moon, the distance from the planet, and the presence of a magnetic field. These factors can affect the retention of gases and the ability to maintain a stable atmosphere.
The temperatures on a moon orbiting a water-giant planet would be influenced by several factors, including the distance from the planet, the composition of the moon's surface, and the presence of an atmosphere. It is possible for a moon to have similar temperatures to Earth, but it would depend on these factors and other variables.
Yes, it is possible for a moon orbiting a water-giant planet to have water on its surface. The presence of liquid water would depend on the distance from the planet, the composition and temperature of the moon's surface, and the presence of an atmosphere. However, it is also possible for a moon to have water in the form of ice on its surface.
It is possible for a moon orbiting a water-giant planet to support life, but it would depend on several factors. These include the presence of liquid water, a stable atmosphere, and a source of energy. The distance from the planet, the composition of the moon's surface, and the presence of a magnetic field could also impact the potential for life on a moon orbiting a water-giant planet.
A moon orbiting a water-giant planet would experience tidal forces, but they may not be as strong as those experienced by Earth's moon. The strength of tidal forces depends on the mass and distance of the planet, as well as the moon's distance from the planet. Tidal forces could potentially affect the moon's rotation and cause tidal heating, which could impact its surface and potential for life.