Jupiter impact

[not_even_amateu]

Is it likely that the mass of Jupiter may act as a shield for "life as we know it?" I look at SL-9 and most recent strike & wonder if it is Jupiter that stops these objects from ending our little existence?? To clarify....Is an object more likely to hit Jupiter due to it's gravitational pull, than it is to hit the Earth as one such object should enter the "solar system" atmosphere? If yes, why not "gravitate" toward the Sun? (Or, do many more become victims of the Sun?"

Anyone else out there hate how media people refer to planetary satellites as being "moons?":help:

[Blue Skies]

The short answer is YES. I'll apologise for not being able to explain better, but it is fairly well known and recognised that Jupiter acts as a giant vacuum cleaner in the solar system and saves us from all kinds of nasties. Perhaps someone else can explain better, or perhaps repose this question in the Astronomy Science section of the these forums, where someone with the knowledge might see it sooner.

re the moons - no, don't hate it at all. I call them that myself and I'm in an outreach situation talking astronomy to the public every week. I don't have a problem with it and neither do most people that I know. Perhaps you're just being too pedantic?

[Jules76]

Get hold of the "The Universe" on DVD, it's a series done by the History Channel. It's been on Pay TV as well of course.

http://shop.abc.net.au/browse/product.asp?productid=770024

The fourth episode of Season 1 "Jupiter The Giant Planet" explains it all there. It draws in these large objects and then eventually slingshots them out of the solar system and out of harms way.

There's actually a snippet of this episode on You Tube. About 50 seconds in it starts to explain this phenomenon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2wwwm1BRWQ

Great series and well worth getting a hold of. :thumbsup:

[seanliddelow]

I think anything large enough in the solar system to be round should be called a planet. Although the question in a science test saying how much planets are there in the solar system woulde be hard to answer!:thumbsup:

Oh by the way what does pedantic mean?

[Blue Skies]

Grab a dictionary - that's what they were invented for.

[seanliddelow]

sorry forgot

[matt]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedantic

:lol:

[seanliddelow]

i heard it off a cartoon once

[seanliddelow]

i think im pedantic:P