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Old November 20th 03, 01:14 AM
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Default Is the moon leaving, or are we shrinking by 38 mm/year

Dear Brad Guth:

"Brad Guth" wrote in message
om...
\(formerly\)" dlzc1.cox@net wrote in message

news:ovzub.12009$vJ6.10338@fed1read05...
Dear Brad Guth:

"Brad Guth" wrote in message
om...
Obviously there's tidal gravitational forces continuously at work, as
otherwise something as massive as the Earth/Moon union would become
one.


A real sidelight, but I don't think they would "become one". I think

that
in the existing system, there is enough angular momentum that there is

no
way a single "partially liquid" body wouldn't spin out one or more

lobes.
You might jam the two together, but I don't think they'd stay together.


That's certainly a good thing to know about.

Any better notion upon my village idiot efforts at obtaining the
kinetic energy requirement for just sustaining the lunar orbit?


Zero additional energy should do OK. The solar wind boosts one side, and
retards the other. The earth would have to freeze solid for all eternity,
of course. All the way down to the core. Might as well tidally lock it as
well.

Otherwise, it'll just continue to gain angular momentum from the Earth.

Should pretty much stop the recession...

David A. Smith