Posted on 01/28/2022 10:06:47 AM PST by Red Badger
Next week, Roland Emmerich's Moonfall opens in theaters around the world. The latest disaster movie from the director of Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow, and 2012 will see a team of unlikely heroes tasked with saving the world after the Moon is knocked off its orbit by some mysterious force, sending it potentially crashing towards Earth — with all the consequences that that brings.
NASA Moon, one of the space agency's many official Twitter accounts, took to the social media platform to clarify that our natural satellite is in fact in a very stable orbit and there is no risk of it falling on our heads. "Here are a few reasons why we’re grateful the Moon is stable in its orbit (no offense @MoonfallFilm)," they wrote.
Tagging the official Moonfall account led to a rather good-natured "Twitter spat", with back and forth between the movie and NASA's other accounts that are influenced by the Moon, such as NASA Earth and NASA Ocean, jumping in for support.
You’re telling me this isn’t actually going to happen? pic.twitter.com/wYRNeg7nZM
— Moonfall (@MoonfallFilm) January 25, 2022 The good thing about it is all the science we got out of it. They highlight how the Moon influences the length of the day on Earth and how it affects the tides, crucial for so many living organisms.
The tidal interactions between Earth and the Moon are actually pushing the satellite further away from our planet, not closer. The Moon was created by the debris launched into orbit when a world the size of Mars hit Earth. The Moon actually recedes from us at a rate of 3.8 centimeters (1.5 inches) per year, but this speed has not been constant since its formation.
But let’s take the premise of the movie more seriously for a second. What would it take to bring down the Moon? Well, a lot of energy to start with. Gravity is a complicated beast but we can use the simplified approach that Isaac Newton came up with.
If you throw an apple, it would fall after a short while. But if you were really high, you could throw the apple fast enough and far enough that while falling, it would miss the ground. The apple would basically be in orbit. It’s the same with the Moon. It is constantly falling towards Earth, but it is constantly missing our planet by virtue of moving fast enough to escape, at about 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) per second.
So if we were to slow down the Moon, it would begin to spiral inward and eventually hit Earth. If we wanted to bring it to a halt instantaneously, we would need 3.8×10^28 J (joules) of energy. That is a huge number. It’s equivalent to the energy that the Earth receives from the Sun in 7,000 years. Luckily, we don’t have enough rockets on Earth to launch to the Moon to make that happen, should anyone have the idea.
So you should be able to sleep well, safe in the knowledge that Moonfall can only happen in theaters and not over our heads.
Isn’t that Dred Scott? Maybe Einstein? Some crazy old dude that needs a hair stylist?
I think that is a picture of john delorean ?
I love disaster movies. Believable or not. I love to see man triumph over the impossible.
Man has endured thru every disaster this planet has ever thrown at him..................
Space 1999.🤔
Yah beat me to it.😏
I think that is a picture of john delorean ?
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Who? Never mind.
“NASA does this they should leave out the unsubstantiated guesswork like this:
‘The Moon was created by the debris launched into orbit when a world the size of Mars hit Earth.’”
Agreed—NASA is engaging in wild speculation.
These days it is hard to tell the difference between “scientists” and witch doctors.
I’m just gonna assume y’all are funnin’ each other.
Me too. Unless it’s “The Swarm”.
Indeed!
Well Oprah talks crap all the time
I’m just gonna assume y’all are funnin’ each other.
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You never know now days ...
Yeah, I’m interested. Let’s set something up!
Just as long as this apparatus isn’t made in England. I’m sure it will leak oil.
I’m starting to get the idea that Oprah isn’t really a leftist loon.
She fully understands cancel culture and fully understands her paycheck.
Muzzie outreach was a real low point for NASA, so now they “do” twitter with all the airheads there?
They have squandered the respect they once earned.
Well some parts are assembled in the UK, but most of it is stolen Russian tech mixed with some Chinese take out ; (I know that sounds weird, but Special Circumstance assures me its legit).
It will take approximately 100 tonnes of platinum bars to cover the down payment - mind you the boys and gals from SC don’t fool around. There is a Abominable Class ROU standing by, in case you attempt some foolishness. Those sorts of ROUs have been known to f...k entire solar systems - so be warned.
Let me know if you are still interested and can come up with the down. If so, SC will contact you directly.
Allow me a few days to get my trench coat back from the cleaners.
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