Don_Dickle@lemmy.world to Today I Learned@lemmy.worldEnglish · 1 month agoTIL On average, Mercury is the closest planet to Earth — and to every other planet in the solar systemen.wikipedia.orgexternal-linkmessage-square26fedilinkarrow-up11arrow-down10
arrow-up11arrow-down1external-linkTIL On average, Mercury is the closest planet to Earth — and to every other planet in the solar systemen.wikipedia.orgDon_Dickle@lemmy.world to Today I Learned@lemmy.worldEnglish · 1 month agomessage-square26fedilink
minus-squareFundMECFSResearch@lemmy.blahaj.zonelinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up0·edit-21 month agoThanks for the attempt but your calculation is wrong, as it considers distance only on a one axis and not a two axis plane. With your circle assumption, mercury would be further than the sun on average.
minus-squareNJSpradlin@lemmy.worldlinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up0·1 month agoThanks, you fell into the trap. But, how would Mercury be further on average if we assumed circular orbits and the planets were on the same plane?
minus-squaremecfs@lemmy.worldlinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up0·1 month agohope my shitty drawing helps (replying from my alt)
minus-squareNJSpradlin@lemmy.worldlinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up0·edit-21 month agoYour bar napkin math has convinced me. Edit: original commenter, here is your answer.
Thanks for the attempt but your calculation is wrong, as it considers distance only on a one axis and not a two axis plane. With your circle assumption, mercury would be further than the sun on average.
Thanks, you fell into the trap. But, how would Mercury be further on average if we assumed circular orbits and the planets were on the same plane?
hope my shitty drawing helps
(replying from my alt)
Your bar napkin math has convinced me.
Edit: original commenter, here is your answer.