https://xkcd.com/2898

Alt text:

“Some people say light is waves, and some say it’s particles, so I bet light is some in-between thing that’s both wave and particle depending on how you look at it. Am I right?” “YES, BUT YOU SHOULDN’T BE!”

  • @[email protected]
    link
    fedilink
    English
    697 months ago

    No actually. Due to Jupiter, the centre of mass of the solar system is actually very slightly outside of the sun

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      English
      197 months ago

      Wouldn’t the center of mass constantly be shifting by the planets’ varying positions in orbit?

      • @[email protected]
        link
        fedilink
        English
        26
        edit-2
        7 months ago

        Yes, but it’s mostly shifting because of Jupiter. It’s just so dang heavy. Like, a couple times heavier than every other planet put together. I don’t have the brain wattage to do the cool math right now, but a quick google search says that while the barycenter of the solar system does depend on all the planets, more often than not, it is outside the sun

        • @[email protected]
          link
          fedilink
          English
          15
          edit-2
          7 months ago

          Easy reminder:

          sun ~ 10^30 kg
          jupiter ~ 10^27 kg
          earth ~ 10^24 kg

          so the ratio is always 1000:1

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      English
      117 months ago

      So doesn’t that mean the earth and sun do not orbit a common center but a varying point based on mostly Jupiter?

      Centrists have bamboozled me again!

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      English
      5
      edit-2
      7 months ago

      But I think the math of the argument is only about the common center between Earth and the sun, taking away all other planets out of the equation, especially Jupiter.