Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology => Topic started by: neilep on 03/03/2011 19:05:42

Title: Would The Earth's Atmopshere Cover the Moon ?
Post by: neilep on 03/03/2011 19:05:42

Dearest Earth Dwellers,



As a sheepy I of course have always wondered what it would be like if the Earth and Moon lived side by side like in this pictorial representation !

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A pictorial representation



Would the Earth's atmosphere envelop the moon ?...Would the Moon eventually be absorbed by the Earth ?...What would be the gravitational consequences ?


Ewe see....I do not know...and ewe do !



Thanks


hugs and shmishes



mwah mwah mwah



Neil
Bothered About Cohabiting Celestial Bodies
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Title: Would The Earth's Atmopshere Cover the Moon ?
Post by: syhprum on 03/03/2011 20:27:43

The Moon could only be real close to the Earth if it was in an 84 minute orbit and the gravitational effect of a body .024% of the Earths mass that close would be very disturbing to say the least

Title: Would The Earth's Atmopshere Cover the Moon ?
Post by: Soul Surfer on 03/03/2011 23:32:22

unfortunately the tidal stresses on the moon would break it up into little pieces and we'd end up with rings like Saturn  the earth would also have to rotate at the maximum rate similar to the moon's orbital speed.

It is quite possible for stars to be this close look up contact binaries and stars with common envelopes.

Title: Would The Earth's Atmopshere Cover the Moon ?
Post by: RD on 03/03/2011 23:54:20

Quote from: Soul Surfer on 03/03/2011 23:32:22

... tidal stresses on the moon would break it up into little pieces and we'd end up with rings like Saturn 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roche_limit

Title: Would The Earth's Atmopshere Cover the Moon ?
Post by: neilep on 04/03/2011 12:30:14

Thank you all very much for your responses.

May I ask a couple of supplemental's then?

Would what happen if a gas giant was the moon of a planet ?...would it just evaporate away when encountering the tidal forces/roche limit ?

...and when the Sun expands will the Earth then collapse before it becomes enveloped by the Sun ?....I ask this because all representations show the sun engulfing the Earth and the Earth maintaining it's ' whole '.....

Title: Would The Earth's Atmopshere Cover the Moon ?
Post by: RD on 04/03/2011 13:13:13

Quote from: neilep on 04/03/2011 12:30:14

...and when the Sun expands will the Earth then collapse before it becomes enveloped by the Sun ?....I ask this because all representations show the sun engulfing the Earth and the Earth maintaining it's ' whole '.....

When the sun goes "red giant (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_giant#The_Sun_as_a_red_giant)" it’s diameter increases but its mass doesn’t, (quite the reverse: it will have lost weight by that stage).

Title: Would The Earth's Atmopshere Cover the Moon ?
Post by: neilep on 04/03/2011 14:07:52

Quote from: RD on 04/03/2011 13:13:13

Quote from: neilep on 04/03/2011 12:30:14

...and when the Sun expands will the Earth then collapse before it becomes enveloped by the Sun ?....I ask this because all representations show the sun engulfing the Earth and the Earth maintaining it's ' whole '.....

When the sun goes "red giant (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_giant#The_Sun_as_a_red_giant)" it’s diameter increases but its mass doesn’t, (quite the reverse: it will have lost weight by that stage).

DOH !!...thanks RD