[voodoosdv]

**** happens. The Moon doesn't orbit the Earth's equator either, IIRC.

[noingenah]

The planets found it boring to just orbit the equatorial plane and therefore they decided to orbit other planes

Well, I assume the solar system in the beginning was a chaotic system, with the gravitations of the protoplanets influencing each other and also extrasolar objects (other stars for example) exerting gravitational influence (which, even if small, might still be significant in the range of milions/billions of years).
So that only after millions/billions of years the orbits stabilized into the orbits we know today.
This would also explain why only mercury as planet closest to sun (and therefore being the planet who is the most influenced by suns gravity) has the orbit with the least inclination.

[Qutlsilh]

Considering that the planets account for the great majority of the total angular momentum, it would seem more reasonable to assume that it's the sun that's tilted from the original nebula.

Now, I don't know why the sun is tilted.

[VodsNittats]

It has to do with tides though. Maybe all the tides going in and out threw us out of whack.

[doxinwasido]

Lost Conformist AND Slowwhand are both right. Momentum essentially IS gravity, and the tides are caused by the magnetic pull of the Moon.

WTF

[QvhhbjLy]

The moon has no magnetic field, kid.

[ufUUZCnc]

and THAT Kuciwalker, as much respect as i have for you, is one of the most hotly debated topics in science today...

[yWleIJm4]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker
The moon has no magnetic field, kid. Or at least no major one...

[ballingham]

then what causes the tides?

[chuecaloversvvp]

then what does?

[mbaueee]

this is a very complicated topic gentlemen, and one that is HOTLY debated in MANY scientific circles... if you look up "moons magnetic pull" you are bound to find stuff on google as you will if you type "moons gravitational pull." but one is a direct result of the other. no more no less

[Nashhlkq]

Originally posted by AAHZ

this is a very complicated topic gentlemen, and one that is HOTLY debated in MANY scientific circles... You're an idiot.

I have to leave. Kuci, you deal with him.

[Infellgedq]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
You're an idiot.

I have to leave. Kuci, you deal with him. Gladly.

Here's a good diagram of the tides (the moon is off to the right):



If the Earth had no moon, the surface of the ocean would be determined solely by the Earth's gravity (it's an equipotential surface) and would therefore be basically spherical. However, the ocean and the Earth are both orbiting the moon*. On the side of the ocean closest to the Moon, the gravitational field is slightly stronger than at the center of the Earth (or the sides of the ocean facing perpedicular to the moon). Thus, the water on that side is pulled closer to the Moon than the rest of the Earth or the ocean. By the same math, the water on the far side of the Earth is less attracted to the Moon than the rest of the ocean, so it ends up going even farther away from the Moon. Result: the thing in the picture.

I don't know WTF you're getting magnetic fields from.

* well technically they are orbiting the common center of mass. Not important.

[Bill-Watson]

Originally posted by AAHZ
not magnetic FIELDS Kuciwalker... magnetic PULL, WE pull the moon... Gravity ISNT pull, its momentum. ... WTF, kid, WTF.

Gravity is a force, kid. F = G*m1*m2/r^2 and all that jazz. Magnetism is a force, too, though the formula is a little different.

[PetraCromlich]

you learned that from Newton eh?
im quoting EINSTEIN...

an apple fell on Newton, and he thought he was einstein

PS- i know newton came before einstein did, its a joke

[NETvoyne]

Originally posted by AAHZ
you learned that from Newton eh?
im quoting EINSTEIN... Newton is correct on these scales. And nowhere would Einstein espouse the jibberish you're spouting.

[EarnestKS]

Newton was wrong. Einstein has his theory. on object in motion stays in motion... and most importantly...

FREQUENCY WAVES...

[WaydayFep]

KH, what are you supposed to do in the face of meaningless babble?

[blenIgnigeSef]

Originally posted by AAHZ
Newton was wrong. Bzzzzt. Play again.

[Zhgrlpil]

Originally posted by Dauphin
Can you see yourself being taken for a ride in this thread? If he's a troll he's brilliant. I give up.