Go outside opn a dark clear night and look up. Orient yourself so that you are aware of the earth's spin axis (finding Polaris is a good start)
Now locate a planet or two, or the moon, and mentally rehearse the track of the planets across the sky - the plane of the ecliptic . This is the spin axis of the Solar system and is offset about 22.5 degrees from that of the Earth.
Now find the Milky Way - this is the galactic plane. Again, it is offset by a substantial degree from either of the two axes/planes above.
OK, now go indoors and read the literature on exoplanets. Studies of doppler wobble assume that there is a random distribution of spin axes and measure M*Sin(i), with expected values for i of 45 deg and expected mass = root(2) times minimum mass . Studies of occultation assume likewise, and look for the few that occult perfectly (around 1/1000).
If there were any preferred orientation, both these calculations would use a different number.
QED
Space/Science » in reply to Angular momentum- a question or two
Re: Angular momentum- an answer or two
