5 ms·
Another way to quantity the effect on Dimorphos is the speed change. It was about 2 centimeter/second. So if Dimorphos would be an object orbiting the sun by i
by wcoenen 4y ago
Another way to quantity the effect on Dimorphos is the speed change. It was about 2 centimeter/second.
So if Dimorphos would be an object orbiting the sun by itself, then its location in its orbit would be shifted by about an Earth radius over 10 years.
(In reality, Dimorphosis is paired with the 100x heavier Didimos, so their orbit around the sun was affected much less.)
- mannykannot 4y agoAfter the impact and velocity change, it would no longer follow its original orbit, but instead enter enter a new one, just as it did around Didymos.
- wcoenen 4y agoYes, the ellipse of the orbit would change a bit, while still passing through the point where the impact happened. Most of the change would be on the opposite side of the ellipse. However, I think that for such a small velocity change, it is a reasonable approximation to assume that the ellipsis around the sun stays pretty much the same, and only the phase of the object (i.e. where it is on the ellipsis at which time) is affected.