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Old 10-11-2011, 09:03 PM
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davidm davidm is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2004
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Default Re: A revolution in thought

Hey, peacegirl:

Quote:
Originally Posted by ceptimus View Post
Peacegirl, scientists managed to soft land a probe on Titan, one of Saturn's moons, on January 14th, 2005.

The light (and radio waves) from Titan take about an hour and a half to reach Earth. The scientists aimed the probe at where they knew Titan to be, allowing for this 90 minute delay.

Titan's diameter is about 3,200 miles and it orbits Saturn at a speed of about three-and-a-half miles per second, so in the time light takes to reach us, it moves 18,900 miles - that's nearly six times its diameter.

If the scientists had believed Lessans and aimed the probe at where Titan is seen, the probe would have missed Titan by six diameters - that's like aiming at a dartboard and hitting the floor, or ceiling.
Now what?

:lol:
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