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egad!
http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/space/04/05/jupiter.moons.ap/index.html [Broken]
http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/space/04/05/jupiter.moons.ap/index.html [Broken]
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So at what point do you consider it not a moon and just-a-hunk-of-rock-near-Jupiter?The moons are tiny, perhaps just a mile or so across, and orbit Jupiter at a distance of tens of millions of miles.
Originally posted by russ_watters
So at what point do you consider it not a moon and just-a-hunk-of-rock-near-Jupiter?
I'd be happy with just enough gravity to keep me from jumping off into outer space.Originally posted by Loren Booda
I think a "moon" should have enough gravitation to maintain (hypothetically) a binary system with an equivalent body.
All right, thanks!Originally posted by FZ+
Let's see...
Escape velocity = [squ] (2 * G * mass / distance from centre of mass)
Consider an adequate escape velocity to be, say, 2 m/s...
average density of asteroids = mass/volume = 2120 kg/m^3(based on ceres)
therefore: (assuming a cube shaped asteroid )
mass/distance = density * distance ^2
2 = [squ] (2*6.67*10^-11 * 2120 * d^2)
d = [squ] (2 * 10^11 / 14140)
d = 3.76 * 10^3 m
So the minimum size of cube shaped asteroid from which you cannot jump off is one of side 3.7 kilometers.
Reminiscent of the fantastic movie featuring Baron von Munchausen.My last question involves a statistical analysis to determine the likelihood that if we each lived alone on our own little moons we'd still end up taking aim with our squirrel guns and firing pot shots at our neighbors.
Originally posted by BoulderHead
I'd be happy with just enough gravity to keep me from jumping off into outer space.
How big would that be anyway?