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Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Re: Impossible question about our Solar System, can anyone answer? Please help.
« on: 08/06/2019 00:51:28 »If all of the planets in our solar system are gravitating towards the sun, and have been for billions upon billions of years. Then that would mean that planet Earth would have been in the same position (the same distance from the sun) that Mars is nowThis doesn't follow. Earth is accelerating towards the sun at all times, meaning Earth's trajectory is bent, from the straight line out of the solar system it would otherwise take, into the circular orbit that it actually takes. All other factors not withstanding, that would make for each planet returning to the same spot after each rotation.
There are other factors, and the two making us drift imperceptibly away are stronger than the two making us drift even more imperceptibly closer.
Look at the moon's orbit for the best example. Its average orbital distance is increasing by almost 4 cm per year, despite always 'gravitating towards Earth'. That outward drift is due to gravitational tidal forces, a gravitational effect.
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