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Astronomy

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  • $\begingroup$ awesome answer!! You know, this dynamical friction issue (I indeed first heard about the issue in your other answer) seems to be incredibly important, rather an elephant in the room issue, in dynamics. (Indeed I wonder for example, in studying and thinking about solar system formation: is dynamical friction that the central process that results in "1 or 2 big clumps" coming together in the early stages; ultimately forming the dominant body(s), the stars?) $\endgroup$
    – Fattie
    Commented Jun 14, 2016 at 12:57
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    $\begingroup$ Dynamical friction is particularly important when other forms of "friction" and energy loss aren't. In star formation, you have lots of "gas friction", turbulence, and (in gas disks) spiral arm, so classical dynamical friction is less relevant. (I'll admit I'm not that current on the details of star and solar system formation, so perhaps I'm missing something.) $\endgroup$
    – Peter Erwin
    Commented Jun 14, 2016 at 16:36
  • $\begingroup$ Thanks a million for this answer, which changed my understanding of the world around me. $\endgroup$
    – Fattie
    Commented Jun 19, 2016 at 0:57