Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!uwvax!oddjob!gargoyle!att-ih!chinet!hcfeams!aicchi!dbb
From: dbb@aicchi.UUCP (Burch)
Newsgroups: comp.society.futures
Subject: Re: 2010
Message-ID: <1015@aicchi.UUCP>
Date: 27 Mar 88 18:37:15 GMT
References: <8803081408.aa10335@note.nsf.gov> <5361@uwmcsd1.UUCP>
Reply-To: dbb@aicchi.UUCP (Burch)
Organization: Analysts International Corp; Chicago Branch
Lines: 51

In article <5361@uwmcsd1.UUCP> jps@csd4.milw.wisc.edu (Jeff P Szczerbinski) writes:
>In article <8803081408.aa10335@note.nsf.gov> fbaube@NOTE.NSF.GOV (Fred Baube) writes:
>>
>>> I don't think anybody really knows what a bi-solar system would do to
>>> the planets, but I have a good feeling that it would make mars a hell
>>> of a more desirable place to live.
>>
>
>I'm not all that knowledgable about physics and the theory behind
>a double-star system but I would have to say that life as we know
>it on Earth would either end or come to a very distinctive change.
>Jupiter itself would be exerting a greater gravity.  Its orbit
>would also change because of this and possibly orbits of many of the
>others in the solar system.  Better to ask this question of someone
>on sci.astro.
>
>					Aloha,
>
>						Jeff
>
>Jeff Szczerbinski Univ. of Wisc. - Milwaukee -- Computer Services Division
>jps@csd4.milw.wisc.edu                                     +1 414 332 3033
>--------------------------------------------------------------------------
>"Anarchy -- Its not the law, its just a good idea!"

HOLD THE BOAT!

There are one or two problems with the above;

1. Jupiter is Over 4 AU from the Earth on the average day.  If it were
   converted into an M5 red dwarf by some supertechnology, it would not
   be more bright than two magnitudes brighter than the full moon.

2. Just the starting of fusion would not change Jupiter's gravity, save
   that it would shed mass as time went by.  I would not expect to have
   much that we could observe in the way of celestial mechanics.

3. Mars has about a two year period.  Jupiter has about an 11 year period.
   this means that Mars will only be near Jupiter about every three
   years, (Is this the synodic period of Jupiter from Mars?  I'm a little
   fuzzy this (sunday) morning...)

Have fun!


-- 
-David B. (Ben) Burch
 Analysts International Corp.
 Chicago Branch (ihnp4!aicchi!dbb)

"Argue for your limitations, and they are yours." - R. Bach