←back to thread

Astronomers Spot a Planetary 'Suicide'

(www.science.org)
19 points rbanffy | 2 comments | 12 Apr 25 11:29 UTC | HN request time: 0.851s | source
Show context
mrkstu ◴[13 Apr 25 03:25 UTC] No.43669848[source]▶
Can someone explain the orbital mechanics of these sentences?:

The constant stretching of such tidal deformation would create friction within the planet that would soak up some of its orbital energy, causing it to edge closer to the star.

How exactly does the energy of tidal energy being expressed inside the planet affect its speed relative to its host star? There is no external friction in empty space so how does the speed disappear?

replies(2): >>43670071 #>>43671631 #
alganet ◴[13 Apr 25 04:21 UTC] No.43670071[source]▶
Think of a very unbalanced car wheel. It wobbles, interferes with the smooth road and eventually reduces the speed of the system.

A planet that stretches and contracts in orbit also wobbles, which does something similar to its orbit. Loss of speed often results in lowered orbit, and thus more wobbling, in a feedback loop.

replies(2): >>43671441 #>>43673901 #
1. amy214 ◴[13 Apr 25 16:21 UTC] No.43673901[source]▶
Exactly, the mass of the planet is squishy in this way. The next question is WHY is it question. The answer is, this planet is host to the hard metal band "Planetary Suicide", whose speakers are so powerful as to turn the planetary rock into more of a mud. At the pinnacle of their showpiece song, the planet flies into the sun. It was a great show but their 99 set was better
replies(1): >>43674227 #
2. alganet ◴[13 Apr 25 17:08 UTC] No.43674227[source]▶
You have a lot to learn about music and metaphors.

Culturally speaking, heavy metal is one of the quietest, most reclusive and slow moving music genres.

What really has power, culturally speaking, is pop music. It can turn any other genre into a bag of mushy catch-phrases.

So, yeah, you look like a fool for making this comment. The metal genre is an icy cold belt, not a heated core.