- #1
avito009
- 184
- 4
I read that a non rotating planet like Lubricon VI does not have equator because it does not rotate. So why only rotating planets have equator?
Ophiolite said:If it is not tidally locked, then it also must rotate.
That's interesting. The moon is rotating at the same rate that it is orbiting the earth. Since it is rotating, then it must have an axis of rotation. This axis of rotation is located inside the Earth (earth moon barycenter). So does the moon not have an equator, even though it is rotating? Is it a requirement for the axis of rotation of a body to be located within the body itself in order for it to qualify as having an equator?Ophiolite said:I am having trouble getting my head around the notion of a planet that does not rotate. If it is tidally locked, like the moon, then it certainly rotates. If it is not tidally locked, then it also must rotate. What am I missing? Or am I still diverting blood flow from my brain to digest Christmas Dinner?
No, you're thinking of revloution, not rotation. The Moon does both.TurtleMeister said:This axis of rotation is located inside the Earth (earth moon barycenter).
So the axis of rotation for the Earth moon system is the Earth moon barycenter, but the axis of rotation for the moon is inside the moon? So does it have an equator?Bandersnatch said:No, you're thinking of revloution, not rotation. The Moon does both.
TurtleMeister said:So the axis of rotation for the Earth moon system is the Earth moon barycenter, but the axis of rotation for the moon is inside the moon? So does it have an equator?
You mean the definition Drakkith posted? I'm not seeing how that conclusion logically follows from the definition....Scott said:In reality, by the OPs definition, there are no planets with zero angular momentum, so all planets have an equator.
The same definition was implicit in the OP as well. Planets, by definition, are quite massive. The only way for a planet to have zero angular momentum would be to start with one with near-zero angular momentum and attempt to bring its rotation to a stop. Even that would be difficult since there are probably other gravitational bodies in the area - so you would need to compensate for tidal forces as well.Nick O said:You mean the definition Drakkith posted? I'm not seeing how that conclusion logically follows from the definition...
ime0n said:Actually the equator is not a line it's a surface
The Equator is an imaginary line that divides the Earth into the Northern and Southern hemispheres. This line only exists for a rotating body like Earth because the rotation of the planet creates a bulge at the center, making the distance from the center to the Equator greater than the distance from the center to the poles.
The rotation of Earth causes the centrifugal force, which counteracts the force of gravity at the Equator. This results in a bulging effect at the center of the planet, creating a larger circumference at the Equator compared to the poles. As a result, the Equator only exists for rotating bodies like Earth.
No, the Equator is not the only line of latitude that exists on a rotating body. Other lines of latitude, such as the Tropic of Cancer and the Arctic Circle, also exist on a rotating body. However, the Equator is the most prominent line of latitude and is used as a reference point for navigation and mapping.
Yes, other factors such as the Earth's shape and composition can also affect the existence of the Equator. The Earth is not a perfect sphere and has an oblate shape, which means it is slightly flattened at the poles and bulging at the Equator. The composition of the Earth's layers, particularly the mantle and crust, also play a role in creating the Equator.
Yes, the Equator can exist on other rotating bodies such as other planets and celestial bodies. However, the bulging effect and the exact location of the Equator may differ depending on the size, shape, and composition of the body. For example, the Equator on Saturn would be much wider due to its larger size and faster rotation compared to Earth.