4 ms·

Wait why is the 1 LD from earth sooner than 1 LD from the sun? I'd expect it would be the opposite?

by xingped 3y ago

GenerWork 3y ago
Because the earth is a bit closer to Voyager than the sun is.
- xingped 3y ago
  If the earth is closer to voyager than the sun, then the 1 LD from the sun date should be sooner than the 1 LD from the earth date. But in the linked calculations it's later?
seabass-labrax 3y ago
Given that the Earth orbits the Sun, I would expect it to swap every half a year. For one half of the year, the Sun should be ever so slightly closer to Voyager 1 than the Earth, and the other half of the year the opposite should be true. However, considering that the Earth and the Sun are no more than ten light-minutes away from each other, I shouldn't think this would make much difference to our festivities :)
huppeldepup 3y ago
Earth orbits the Sun at an average distance of 149.60 million km [WP] 45 degree angle (see Quora animation): 150000000 * cos(45) = 79000000 Earth projection sits between Voyager and Sun. "...travelling at around 61,500km/h ": 79000000/61500/24 = 53 days to add the equivalent of that distance in LD time. Edit: huh, since Earth sits between voyager and the Sun, the LD distance is satisfied for the Sun first.
- xingped 3y ago
  Yeah, that's why I'm consued why the LD from the sun is later than the LD from the earth.
- dogma1138 3y ago
  The light delay to the sun is 8 min which means that the biggest light delay difference to voyager will be about 16min give or take if the sun is directly between earth and voyager. That’s more or less negligible when you are measuring 1 light day worth of delay.
  - huppeldepup 3y ago
    That's the point: it's not negligible when you have to convert it to the distance this craft has to fly. It's a bit of mental gymnastics, I suggest you do the exercise with paper & pencil to see what happens.
    - dogma1138 2y ago
      At most it would take Voyager about 190 days to travel 16 light minutes. Considering it’s been flying for 47 years and that it will take 3 more years for it to reach 1 light day of delay half a year more on top of that is pretty negligible in my book.

Wait why is the 1 LD from earth sooner than 1 LD from the sun? I'd expect it would be the opposite?

GenerWork 3y ago

Because the earth is a bit closer to Voyager than the sun is.

xingped 3y ago
If the earth is closer to voyager than the sun, then the 1 LD from the sun date should be sooner than the 1 LD from the earth date. But in the linked calculations it's later?

seabass-labrax 3y ago

Given that the Earth orbits the Sun, I would expect it to swap every half a year. For one half of the year, the Sun should be ever so slightly closer to Voyager 1 than the Earth, and the other half of the year the opposite should be true. However, considering that the Earth and the Sun are no more than ten light-minutes away from each other, I shouldn't think this would make much difference to our festivities :)

huppeldepup 3y ago

Earth orbits the Sun at an average distance of 149.60 million km [WP] 45 degree angle (see Quora animation): 150000000 * cos(45) = 79000000 Earth projection sits between Voyager and Sun. "...travelling at around 61,500km/h ": 79000000/61500/24 = 53 days to add the equivalent of that distance in LD time. Edit: huh, since Earth sits between voyager and the Sun, the LD distance is satisfied for the Sun first.

xingped 3y ago
Yeah, that's why I'm consued why the LD from the sun is later than the LD from the earth.
dogma1138 3y ago
The light delay to the sun is 8 min which means that the biggest light delay difference to voyager will be about 16min give or take if the sun is directly between earth and voyager. That’s more or less negligible when you are measuring 1 light day worth of delay.
- huppeldepup 3y ago
  That's the point: it's not negligible when you have to convert it to the distance this craft has to fly. It's a bit of mental gymnastics, I suggest you do the exercise with paper & pencil to see what happens.
  - dogma1138 2y ago
    At most it would take Voyager about 190 days to travel 16 light minutes. Considering it’s been flying for 47 years and that it will take 3 more years for it to reach 1 light day of delay half a year more on top of that is pretty negligible in my book.