Re: ZetaTalk and Spaceguard UK (D8)

In Article  <[email protected]> David Tholen wrote:
>> So we could move the Moon in from 200,000 miles to be
>> as close as the satellites at 100 miles, and all would be well.
>> Right?
>
> Well, I wouldn't say that.  The tides would be considerably
> stronger, perhaps to the point of flooding coastal cities.
>
>> And we could move the Moon to orbit at the ground or
>> surface level and all would be well, as long as it's going
>> at the right speed. Right?
>
> You're missing the atmosphere.

So we'd have a flaming ball of rock, 1/4 the size of the Earth, orbiting
at surface level at a speed just a tick up from the speed required to
orbit the satellites.  We could all get a 6-pack and watch.  "Duck!
Here she comes again!"  A new ball game, Dodge the Moon.

David Tholen, meet Greg Neill, who seems to thing the ball of rock would
fragment.  Due to the Moon's molten core and fragile crust, no doubt
(just kiding here, Dave, so don't go off on a tangent).  Perhaps, being
the astronomer, Dave, you could give us examples of where Newton proved
correct, and we have such massive objects orbiting each other, at the
literal touch point.

In Article  <[email protected]> Greg Neill wrote:
> If the Moon would not be torn apart by the increased
> gravitational attraction, then it could orbit at the
> distances you mentioned.