Space/Science — HabitableZone

Space/Science » in reply to re: Astronomical Unit (AU)

Tidal effects
nick hoffman — (archived)

Any tidal effects will be (a) minimal and (b) benign:-

a) Tidal forces depend on an inverse CUBE law. Gravity is an inverse square. granted the Sun is massive, but it is far distant.

In particular, there is ABSOLUTELY no chance of the SUn somehow sucking our atmosphere away.

b) The effect of tidal drag between the Sun and the earth will be, like the earth-Moon syatem, to accelerate the satellite (Earth) and increase its orbital distance. So the Earth will not and cannot spiral-in to the Sun.

In fact, since the Sun is gradually* getting warmer, this slow increase in orbit will slightly balance the increased heat and maintain the earth (on average) at a steady temperature for longer.

* Wer're talking BILLIONS of years here, so it's NOTHING to do with observed climate change over either human or geologic time scales!

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