Did we break Jupiter?

Regarding the lost Mars probes:

NASA's official story is that its due to miscalculations involving the metric system. Lockheed Martin measured the control thrusters using pounds. The Jet Propulsion Lab in Cali was expecting newtons. A pound equals about 4.5 newtons. This simple error made the probe go a little to close to Mars.


Then again, it could all be a cover-up. Shouldn't rocket scientists be able to catch onto something such as this before it happens?

Originally posted by tealc
could you imagine the effect of two suns for earth? you are all stating how jupiters moons would be affected but think of the increased gravitational field ? depending on how bright it is it could cause the entire earth to be like daytime 24/7 the gravity would almost certainly affect the other planets near it as well.

If Jupiter would become a sun, its gravity won't change because extra mass won't suddenly be formed inside it. As for the light coming from it, Jupiter being smaller than the sun and its distance would not make it very big to our eyes. It would likely just look like a really bright star at night, but not actually taking over the night sky with light. It also wouldn't be able to change its rotation around the Sun, so it would not be stationary on the dark side of the earth. In fact, if it would become a star, it would likely be visible even on the light side of the earth. Kinda like how the moon can show up during the day.

Whatever would happen, a Jupiter-star would not make very significant changes to the Earth.... I think.

The only problem I see could be potential heat energy coming from it, which might affect seasons and animals in a small, but potentially harmful way.

Originally posted by AF1
Regarding the lost Mars probes:

NASA's official story is that its due to miscalculations involving the metric system. Lockheed Martin measured the control thrusters using pounds. The Jet Propulsion Lab in Cali was expecting newtons. A pound equals about 4.5 newtons. This simple error made the probe go a little to close to Mars.


Then again, it could all be a cover-up. Shouldn't rocket scientists be able to catch onto something such as this before it happens?

I suppose its possible. However they DO make mistakes. Columbia was an accident waiting to happen. Also, sending probes to other planets is risky business. Its not something that we do all that easily.

I read a few questions on here and just had shake my head?
'Why do they take this stupid risk?'
'Why not turn it back around to Earth and conserve what was possible?'

Simple: fuel. They really didn't have any choice. They either sent it in when they still had contact and got a bit of data, or let it orbit for a little while and slowly spiral towards jupiter until it got sucked in. Loading extra fuel would have been costly, not only buying the fuel, but buying the fuel it would take to transport that much more fuel, the chain goes on. You have to realize that they only pack as much as they'll need on those suckers, so their really is no change of plans after launch unless they get lucky with slingshotting it around moons and planets.

to play devil's advocate: couldn't this spot be one of Jupiter's massive storms?

True, but aren't it's storms usually lighter in color? I'm no astronomer, not even a wannabe astronomer, but I'm not sure if Jupiter's tempests appear black.

Okay...here's another theory. With all of the solar flare activity lately from the sun...could the flares be causing this if Jupiter's magnetic field is not "well placed" as the Earth's magnetic field? Just a thought...time for some research...eh?

Originally posted by Kai-Raega
True, but aren't it's storms usually lighter in color? I'm no astronomer, not even a wannabe astronomer, but I'm not sure if Jupiter's tempests appear black.

they generally appear red, although under certain conditions it probably is possible storms could appear black.

Mm, I like this theory. I'll do some research, too. What if the black stuff is some element being dramn to the poles by the magnetic crap the sun is throwing at us?


[Edited on 4-11-2003 by Pherophile]

Jupiter has a large, complex, and intense magnetic field that is thought to arise from electrical currents in the rapidly spinning metallic hydrogen interior. The Earth has a strong magnetic field, but Jupiter's magnetic field at the tops of its clouds is 10 times stronger than that of the Earth. Further, the Jovian magnetic field has much higher complexity than that of the Earth, with some aspects of Jupiter's fields having no Earthly counterpart. The intensity and complexity relative to the magnetic field of the Earth is presumably related in some way to the more rapid rotation and larger metallic interior for Jupiter.

And there ya go...with them saying that Jupiter's magnetic field is much more complex than Earth's...then it would be hard to say what a mega solar flare might do to Jupiter's atmosphere...the Earth being a large metallic rock and Jupiter being a gas behemoth with a metallic interior. Just something to think about.

[Edited on 4-11-2003 by xenongod]

Originally posted by MorningtonCrescent
they generally appear red, although under certain conditions it probably is possible storms could appear black.

I hope you're right. I'm a night person, and if we have two suns thanks to NASA's bungling, then I'm never going to get any sleep.

Think about what it would do to the vampire population.

Alright, here's what I've got so far. I'll edit in more links as I find them.

dev.space.com...