OT Question for Astronomers

oleg · #1 October 28th, 2003, 11:56 PM

Triton is a boring place. I recommend Callisto for a best kick for your bucks

Seriosly though vulcan eruptions are worth it !

Loser · #2 October 29th, 2003, 04:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by oleg:
Triton is a boring place. I recommend Callisto for a best kick for your bucks Seriosly though vulcan eruptions are worth it !

Active eruptions can only be found on Earth, Venus, Io, and Triton, so far.

Quote:

Originally posted by geoschmo:
Planning a trip are we?

Just some highly fictional reference material.

But does anyone have the answer?

A little animated model of the Solar System would really be ideal... but any dependable answer would be very appreciated.

[ October 29, 2003, 03:04: Message edited by: Loser ]

henk brouwer · #3 October 29th, 2003, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Loser:
Just some highly fictional reference material.

But does anyone have the answer?

A little animated model of the Solar System would really be ideal... but any dependable answer would be very appreciated.

A site with some more information.

http://www.boulder.swri.edu/TritonWatch/background.html

the science overview section seems to suggest that you can neither add or substract the values, and that it is more complicated. it seems that triton's orbit precesses, which causes it to have seasonal fluctuations of about 688 years. A quote from http://www7.nationalacademies.org/ssb/neptglos.html:

Quote:

Major summer�Triton's seasonal cycle is extremely complex due to the peculiarities of its orbital geometry. Its seasons are modulated by the period of its motion around Neptune (14 days), the precession of its orbit (688 years), and Neptune's rotation around the Sun (165 years). The net result is that Triton experiences a series of major and minor seasons as the amplitude of its seasonal cycle is driven by these various modulations.

I'm not sure how accurate that information is since they seem to have the period of Tritons orbital motion wrong by quite a few days..

Things like this make my head hurt

.

[ October 29, 2003, 09:10: Message edited by: henk brouwer ]

oleg · #4 October 29th, 2003, 11:39 AM

I take my words back

Ice volcanoes are cool !!

Is it really possible that Triton came from outer space as implied in the artticle ?

Loser · #5 October 29th, 2003, 06:44 PM

Thanks, Henk. That one does a lot to answer my question. This is, I think, the link you were actually trying to give out second.

I'd still like a picture, moving if possible, interactive if I'm very, very lucky, but I think I have enough to go on now.

Those 'complex seasons' are the problem...

Cyrien · #6 October 29th, 2003, 07:00 PM

http://www.shatters.net/celestia/

You could try Celestia. I remember having a lot of fun using that program. Not sure how accurate some of it is, my Last astronomy course was several years ago and I haven't really kept up and only found the program a year or so ago.

Loser · #7 October 29th, 2003, 08:08 PM

Whoot!

Cyrien, you are currently my hero. Between the info I got from Henk, the new toy I have in Celestia, and the new patch on Diablo II: LoD I will be happy for days.

This Celestia thing rocks!

Everyone here needs to check it out. You hear me?

Yes, you right now, check it out.

Go.