3M views · Jul 19, 2016 · 3:13 · 1 HN recommender · 4 mentions · discussed 2019–2023
A three-minute minutephysics video on the orbital mechanics of why crashing into the Sun takes far more energy than leaving the solar system.
Why Hacker News points people here: HN links it as the quick explanation of why you cannot just throw things into the Sun.
“as explained in the following minutephysics video (3 minutes): Hitting the Sun is HARD.”HN comment, 2023
“It's easier to throw the garbage out of the solar system than it is to descend into the Sun.”
Explains delta-v needed to descend into the Sun.
Another explanation[1] that shows how it's not just the cost of escaping Earth gravity (which is high enough already) but the delta-v required to de-orbit. It's easier to throw the garbage out of the solar system than it is to descend into the Sun. [1] this video
“Canadarm can't achieve the approx 29 km/s needed to cancel orbital velocity around the sun”
Why hitting the sun requires cancelling orbital velocity.
... wait, to throw it into the sun. Okay, nice try there! Everyone on HN should know the Canadarm can't achieve the approx 29 km/s needed to cancel orbital velocity around the sun in the vicinity of Earth. this video 'doh, you got a reaction out of me anyhow!
“It's apparently pretty hard to hit the Sun”
Hitting the Sun is hard for small objects.
It's apparently pretty hard to hit the Sun: this video (Though that video mostly talks about small objects like rockets. Maybe it's a different story for dwarf planets?) That said... Keep in mind that this is about a dwarf planet orbiting the Sun. It's 11 AU out, so twice as far from the Sun as Jupiter is.
“as explained in the following minutephysics video (3 minutes): Hitting the Sun is HARD.”
Three-minute explanation of why hitting the Sun is hard.
That's right, as explained in the following minutephysics video (3 minutes): Hitting the Sun is HARD. this video
