Astronomy/Earth' revolving

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Expert: - 9/24/2007


Question
What would happen if the Earth stopped revolving around the sun and how would it effect the veiw of the moon from Earth?

Answer
Hello,

If Earth stopped revolving around the Sun, it would mean that its centripetal force (driving its centripetal acceleration in orbit) would no longer balance the force of gravitational attraction. Thus, it would fly off at a tangent to its orbit.

Since the Moon is attracted about twice as much to the Sun as to the Earth, it would remain in solar orbit despite the Earth's departure. Thus, the Moon would recede in view the further Earth was displaced from its original position.

So, we would see the Moon getting smaller and smaller, though in truth - it is more likely we would die first because of the extreme cold (no Sun to provide warmth and light!)

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Philip Stahl

Expertise

I have forty years of experience in Astronomy, specifically solar and space physics. My specialties include the physics of solar flares, sunspots, including their effects on Earth and statistics as applied to astronomical investigations.

Experience

Astronomy: more than forty years experience starting with construction of my own simple telescopes. Worked at university observatory in college, doing astrographic measurements. M.Phil. degree in Physics/Solar Physics and more than ten years as researcher.

Organizations
American Astronomical Society (Solar Physics and Dynamical Astronomy divisions), American Mathematical Society, American Geophysical Union

Publications
Solar Physics (journal), The Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, The Proceedings of the Meudon Solar Flare Workshop (1986), The Proceedings of the Caribbean Physics Conference (1985). Books: 'Selected Analyses in Solar Flare Plasma Dynamics', 'Physics Notes for Advanced Level'.

Education/Credentials
B.A. Astronomy, M. Phil. Physics

Awards and Honors
American Astronomical Society Studentship Award (1984), Barbados Government Award for Solar Research

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