3 ms·
Honest question: Why does earths rotation matter? You and the target are both moving at the same speed throughout the bullets flight in the same direction - w
by jwally 4y ago
Honest question:
Why does earths rotation matter?
You and the target are both moving at the same speed throughout the bullets flight in the same direction - why should it factor in?
- aero-glide2 4y agoThe target moves at different speed because earth's rotation varies with longitude (highest at equator, 0 at poles). That's my understanding atleast!
- dmurray 4y agoShould you put the target due East or West to remove this effect? Or is it dominated by other concerns that would make you want a different direction (I don't know what - prevailing winds, having to find a 7km patch of empty space - neither sound so difficult in Wyoming).
- HighPlainsDrftr 4y agoWindy Wyoming as it's called. I live in the east side of the state - few hours away from where they did this. While Pinedale is generally less windy, don't kid yourself, it changes constantly. Add in they did this test at like 8,000 ft elevation. The temperature is constantly changing. I find it impressive they found a 4.4 mile stretch that was unobstructed, no risk to hitting something (person/critter) in that area. They found a ridge that allowed them a way to somewhat see the target. No real world application for what they did, but the effort, the science, the planning - impressive. I'm guessing they must have used GPS to find their location, and calculate the rotation of the earth. But even small changes - like repointing 1mm to the north or south would be huge over that distance.
- aero-glide2 4y ago*with latitude
- subhro 4y agoCoriolis effect. Google it.
- _s 4y agoThink about a CD or an LP spinning; the outside is going a lot faster (it’s covering a lot more distance in the same amount of time) than the inside yet the RPM for both is the same. The earth is the same :)