Based on this discussion and what Michael Lyle describes in his “Extrasolar Planets: Methods of Detection” lecture, see http://brahms.phy.vanderbilt.edu/~rknop/classes/a250/fall2001/ExtSolPlanets/XSPlanets.html , I shall summarize what I’ve learned thus far.
In Michael Lyle’s lecture he...
Planetary System, System Or ?
Nereid,
I’m thinking of the proto-stars in their nebular cocoons that Hubble has shown us recently and how I might want to describe with one or two words them and “planetary systems” that have matured like ours. Furthermore, a short handle is useful when...
Thanks for the Feast
Astronuc,
You have helped give this subject a clarity that makes it easier to analyze.
50 years of experience designing aerospace devices: Some museum curators have extensive preservation technology experience. I presume they have gathered their knowledge by...
1. Is it true that when the orbital plane of planets about a star is perpendicular to our line of sight, that we will not detect the star wobble they may cause?
2. How many degrees from perpendicular is star wobble is detectible? For this question, I will accept an answer based on currently...
Is there a commonly used single term that describes a star and all of its associated bodies including its planets, asteroids, comets, Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud? If not, what is the most acceptable and shortest way of describing this structure?
A few quotes from various sources suggest there is quite a bit of material in the Oort Cloud, maybe enough to threaten interstellar space travel:
“The Oort cloud is an immense spherical cloud surrounding the planetary system and extending approximately 3 light years, about 30 trillion...
Lifetimes of Aerospace Hardware
Preserving the viability of complex machines and electronics for extended periods: Is it feasible with today’s technology to design equipment that will be capable of withstanding interstellar space for a period up to 150 years? One example that illustrates some...