• StudSpud The Starchy
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    4 months ago

    Last night I learned that Pluto and Charon are tidally locked with each other, so Charon appears to not move in Pluto’s sky.

    Our moon is tidally locked with us, so it always shows us the same side, but it moves through the sky because Earth isn’t tidally locked with it.

    Mind blown 🤯

    • tombruzzo
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      4 months ago

      The Brian Cox series on ABC has a bunch of interesting stuff about this. I think one of Jupiter’s moon’s moons isn’t tidally locked to the moon itself, but another point in space of it’s elliptical movement.

      Then you can look up Alpha Centuri and the suns and planets that orbit each other

      • bacon
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        4 months ago

        i love how we are in the position to literally look up at alpha centauri

      • StudSpud The Starchy
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        4 months ago

        I have been meaning to watch that!! I like Brian Cox and that show is right up my alley haha

    • CEOofmyhouse56
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      4 months ago

      Our moon is tidally locked with us, so it always shows us the same side, but it moves through the sky because Earth isn’t tidally locked with it.

      For the non nerds but mildly curious this means that the moon spins at the same time that earth moves and that’s the reason we don’t see the dark side of the moon.

        • CEOofmyhouse56
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          4 months ago

          Oh no, you sent me to nerdville.

          Seriously though I asked a few questions like this on Saturday night when we were drinking outside. tell me about (???) but in 25 words or less and in the most simplest form is always my requirement. Plus stubbies were involved in the demonstration. 😂