(no subject)

[bellinghman]

It's crowded out there!

Behind the link is a current map of all known solar-orbiting natural objects in the vicinity of the sun. Or, if you like, it's a map of every asteroid in the inner solar system (i.e. to out beyond Mars's orbit, but not a huge amount more), and three planets and the sun. The sheer density is quite astounding.

Comments

[furrfu.livejournal.com]

Of course, it's highly misleading, because the scale of the squares representing the asteroids etc isn't really the same as the scale of the solar system, in that picture. Because then it'd be a black space with tiny tiny specs in it.

There are lots of asteroids out there, including many undiscovered ones (and automated telescopes with digital cameras are spoiling the fun of amateur astronomers and discovering lots all the time) but on the whole it's still pretty empty. (-:

[korenwolf.livejournal.com]

It's also showing 3 dimensional data in 2 which will tend to make it look more crowded as well.

[bellinghman.livejournal.com]

Indeed, the real situation is not entirely flat. But the majority of asteroids, like the majority of other objects, orbit in the same direction,roughly in the ecliptic.

So, we're not squashing a football down into 2D, more a somewhat puffy pancake.

[korenwolf.livejournal.com]

Oh entirely. Though what enquiring minds need to know is this pancake covered with stellar maple syrup or not?

[burkesworks.livejournal.com]

"Gordon Moore"? All those nice classical names for asteroids and they name it after a cosmetic toothpaste...