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Solar System Has a Tail, Just Like a Comet
- mtgx 13y agoIf we're being spun by the super blackhole in the middle of the galaxy, then it kind of makes sense to have one.
- jemka 13y ago>If we're being spun by the super blackhole in the middle of the galaxy, then it kind of makes sense to have one. These 'tails' are not created by centrifugal forces, so the fact that solar system rotates around the center of the galaxy doesn't explain the tail.
- zspade 13y agoWouldn't it though, at least to a degree. If the solar system were moving through absolutely empty space there would be no external gravitational forces causing the exterior 'drag' resulting in a tail.
- archangel_one 13y agoBut wouldn't you expect these particles that we're moving through to be being spun by that black hole as well?
- qrybam 13y agoI love hearing about new findings like this. Blows my mind how much there is to learn/discover every single time something like this comes out.
- ihsw 13y agoPlanets also have 'tails' in that sense as well. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bow_Shock http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bow_Shock Also, here is the original NASA.gov article that the article is quoting: http://www.nasa.gov/content/nasa-s-ibex-provides-first-view-of-the-solar-system-s-tail/ http://www.nasa.gov/content/nasa-s-ibex-provides-first-view-...
- leke 13y agoReminds me of: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jHsq36_NTU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jHsq36_NTU
- wfn 13y agoWhile this is a nice video, it rests on a model that is not completely true to the point that the video which stands upon it is actually misleading. I refer you to the fine Bad Astronomy blog: http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2013/03/04/vortex_motion_viral_video_showing_sun_s_motion_through_galaxy_is_wrong.html http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2013/03/04/vortex_m... It is, of course, an interesting general perspective nonetheless.