Can Light Alter the Velocity of Asteroids in Space?

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Light can indeed exert pressure on asteroids in space, primarily through the Yarkovsky Effect, which describes how sunlight can cause small changes in an object's trajectory over time. However, light does not behave like mass in a collision; it does not have mass and cannot directly alter an object's velocity in the same way that two colliding trains would. Instead, light interacts with objects through radiation pressure, which can impart momentum but is generally much weaker than traditional collision forces. This means that while light can influence the motion of asteroids, it does so in a fundamentally different manner than physical collisions. Understanding these principles is crucial for exploring potential asteroid deflection strategies.
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Hey what's up! So I'm trying to wrap my head around this concept that light is able to push asteroids in space. I understand the Yarkovsky Effect and how it acts as a propulsion system, but I want to know if light is able to push objects in space strictly based on a collision basis. Can it replicate a simple example where to trains collide into each other; Is light able to act as mass colliding with another object altering its velocity?

Thanks
 
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BobbyWOMACK said:
Hey what's up! So I'm trying to wrap my head around this concept that light is able to push asteroids in space. I understand the Yarkovsky Effect and how it acts as a propulsion system, but I want to know if light is able to push objects in space strictly based on a collision basis. Can it replicate a simple example where to trains collide into each other; Is light able to act as mass colliding with another object altering its velocity?

Thanks

Google "light sail"
 

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