4 ms·
I'll preface this by saying I know next to nothing about these sorts of measurements. But if you want multiple measurements, isn't time just one variable when m
by shostack 8y ago
I'll preface this by saying I know next to nothing about these sorts of measurements. But if you want multiple measurements, isn't time just one variable when measuring parallax? Couldn't we potentially image it from different viewpoints--say, distant satellites relaying messages back for analysis, where time is more a function of the scale of the "imaging web?"
- TeMPOraL 8y agoIf we could place multiple such instruments in various orbits, it would be helpful. Alas, space science is very much underfunded.
- sanxiyn 8y agoWe basically know how to do this. STEREO used lunar gravity assist (check it out, very cool move) to visit Sun-Earth L4 and L5. On the other hand, Gaia was basically the highest priority scientific mission of ESA and it took 20 years from proposal to launch...
- wcoenen 8y agoA second satellite could be put in the same orbit around the sun as the Earth, but on the other side of the sun. That would give us stereo vision for the parallax measurements. But it's cheaper to have just 1 satellite (which is also easier to communicate with because near Earth), and then compare images 6 months apart to get the same data.
- sanxiyn 8y agoA practical problem is that it is hard to communicate with the other side of the sun.