- #1
Wes Tausend
Gold Member
- 226
- 46
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The other night my telescope buddy and I were discussing gravities vs time over a campfire and beverages.
I mentioned that a clock on the moon should run faster than an identical clock on Earth because the gravity is weaker there. As an example, if we synchronized another rather large Big Ben clock with Big Ben in London, and placed it on the moon, then observed the huge clock-face through a rather powerful telescope from Earth's surface, it should initially be observed to read about 1.3 seconds behind Big Ben on Earth because of distant electromagnetic delay, that of C.
But since the gravity is weaker on the Moon, a moon-based clock should also run subtly faster there than on earth. So eventually "Moon Big Ben" time should be miraculously observed to "catch-up" to Big Ben on earth... and then surpass it.
My buddy pondered the situation for a moment, and surmised that if this was true, and it had been occurring for millions of years, then everything about the moon should be ahead of earth. Ostensibly, he suggested this would include a substancial gain in the periodic moon orbit. And the Moon should still be orbiting just a little too fast.
If this be true, is it similar to the "fast orbit" of Mercury?
Wes
...
The other night my telescope buddy and I were discussing gravities vs time over a campfire and beverages.
I mentioned that a clock on the moon should run faster than an identical clock on Earth because the gravity is weaker there. As an example, if we synchronized another rather large Big Ben clock with Big Ben in London, and placed it on the moon, then observed the huge clock-face through a rather powerful telescope from Earth's surface, it should initially be observed to read about 1.3 seconds behind Big Ben on Earth because of distant electromagnetic delay, that of C.
But since the gravity is weaker on the Moon, a moon-based clock should also run subtly faster there than on earth. So eventually "Moon Big Ben" time should be miraculously observed to "catch-up" to Big Ben on earth... and then surpass it.
My buddy pondered the situation for a moment, and surmised that if this was true, and it had been occurring for millions of years, then everything about the moon should be ahead of earth. Ostensibly, he suggested this would include a substancial gain in the periodic moon orbit. And the Moon should still be orbiting just a little too fast.
If this be true, is it similar to the "fast orbit" of Mercury?
Wes
...