Questions tagged [tidal-locking]
Questions regarding a phenomenon when an object has an orbital period that is equal to its rotational period due to gravitational tidal forces.
79
questions
0
votes
0
answers
45
views
On a theoretical young tidally locked planet and its relationship with temperature
I have a question regarding tidally locked planets, regarding the length it takes to reach a certain temperature.
How would one calculate the estimated temperature after a certain amount of time being ...
- 376
16
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Under which conditions could a planet's massive moon's orbit get closer to the planet?
The recent question How do we know the Moon was much closer than it is now? has piqued my interest. The answers are numerous and clear. But I started to wonder. The question includes the following ...
- 30.7k
1
vote
1
answer
73
views
Will the Earth tidally lock to the Moon (ignoring Sun's expansion)
At some point, won't the tidal forces from the Moon be less than the ones from the Sun? Would that mean that the Moon stops moving away, or would the process still continue. Would the Earth start ...
- 155
2
votes
3
answers
293
views
What does the rate the Moon moves away from Earth depend on?
Is it based on the distance between the Earth and Moon? Would that make the Moon move away faster or slower as time goes on?
- 155
12
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Would the Earth and Moon still have tides after the Earth tidally locks to the Moon?
Ignore the Sun's expansion.
From my understanding, tidal locking happens from torque as a result of tidal bulges being offset from the line between the two planets. So when the Earth and Moon tidally ...
- 155
4
votes
3
answers
603
views
Is this definition of tidal locking really satisfying?
We always are hearing this: "If a moon has equal rotational and orbital periods it's tidally locked to its host planet and always one side of it will face to the planet."
But what if, for ...
- 1,005
5
votes
1
answer
282
views
Eyeball planets experiencing "catastrophic" flips
This Youtube video by Anton Petrov shows research1 claiming that tidally-locked planets orbiting the same star in tight orbits may interfere with one another and one planet may cause the other to &...
- 263
10
votes
2
answers
2k
views
"Tidally locked" Oort Cloud object
Is the Oort cloud spherical enough and are there enough objects in it that it is likely there is at least one in there that it has shown the same face to the sun for billions of years and will ...
- 701
1
vote
1
answer
318
views
Is there tidal locking between Saturn and each of its moons?
From Earth we can see only the near side of the Moon, because of tidal locking.
Is there tidal locking for every moon of other planets in the solar system, too? E.G. for Saturn?
Here is Wikipedia ...
- 19
9
votes
2
answers
3k
views
How would ocean tides work on a tidally-locked planet?
Since the tidal bulge is always in the same place, how would that affect ocean tides? Would they change throughout an elliptical orbit, due to changing distance from the star? How exactly would they ...
- 1,107
2
votes
0
answers
67
views
If a planet orbits an M-Star in an S-type orbit around a G star, what is the minimum distance from the G star that it could remain tidally locked?
I'm wondering how close a planet-M-dwarf system could orbit a G star and have the planet remain tidally locked to the M star. I'm curious, because I'm designing a habitable planet, and I want the ...
- 1,107
4
votes
0
answers
43
views
M Dwarf radiation and habitability at the terminator of a tidally-locked planet?
I know that M Dwarf stars emit intense solar flares, which is thought to pose a potential problem for the emergence of life on planets that orbit them. But I was wondering if the life that might exist ...
- 1,107
-1
votes
1
answer
77
views
Tidal locking of Moon [duplicate]
Since our Moon is tidally locked with earth, we always see only one side of the Moon. In such a case, how and when did mankind first realize that the Moon is also revolving around its own axis? or for ...
- 259
-6
votes
1
answer
730
views
Why is the moon tidally locked with the earth?
Why the moon is tidally locked with the earth? What is the reason for the tidal locking of the moon with the earth? What causes tidal locking?
- 949
3
votes
1
answer
190
views
Can a celestial body be tidally locked to multiple other bodies at the same time?
Could a planet be tidally locked to both the star it is orbiting and a moon orbiting the planet at the same time? I feel like it wouldn't be possible, because I think it would cause the moon to crash ...
- 211
6
votes
1
answer
820
views
Effects of a binary star system on a tidally locked planet
This is basically a world-building question, but I'm looking for a scientifically based answer, so I'm posting here.
Imagine a fairly earth-like planet- Lets call it Planet X. Planet X has an earth-...
- 163
2
votes
1
answer
161
views
Are there tidally locked bodies where the "far side" is denser?
It makes sense that tidal forces lead to tidal locking. Celestial bodies have varying densities and shapes, so some orientations have a lower gravitational potential, and eventually the tendency will ...
- 121
5
votes
1
answer
151
views
If the Earth became tidally locked with the moon, would that last forever?
If the Earth and the moon became tidally locked, would this last theoretically forever (assuming no external gravitational force modifies their orbits, for example, ignoring the effects caused by the ...
- 1,017
5
votes
1
answer
116
views
Is an extreme precession on a tidally locked planet possible?
Let's assume an exoplanet orbits a red dwarf star closely enough that is tidally locked to it. Is it possible for the planet to have a significant axial precession? If not naturally, is it possible to ...
- 53
7
votes
3
answers
827
views
Could a tidally locked large moon prevent a close-orbiting planet from getting tidally locked to its star?
A planet can get tidally locked to its moon, like Pluto and Charon, or like Earth someday and Luna. A planet can get tidally locked to its sun - close orbiting exoplanets are assumed to be tidally ...
- 323
4
votes
1
answer
454
views
Why circularization of an orbit has longer time scale than tidal locking?
I'm trying to understand the basic physics of orbital evolution. I know that in a two-body system (a planet orbiting a sun for example), eccentric orbits become circular, and the spin of the planet ...
- 607
25
votes
2
answers
3k
views
How can Io be tidally heated while it is in tidal lock?
According to its Wikipedia page:
Rotation period: synchronous
Eccentricity: 0.0041
But also
...extreme geologic activity is the result of tidal heating...
How is it possible? It should not be ...
- 3,179
-2
votes
1
answer
335
views
5
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Will Mercury ever become locked to the Sun?
The Mercury year is between 1 and 2 days. Has it ever been greater, and will it eventually become "tidally locked" with the Sun?
- 670
4
votes
1
answer
167
views
Is it possible to have a positive rational number of months (more than 1) in a year?
It is possible for a planet to have orbital resonance with a sun (e.g. Mercury has a 3:2 spin resonance with the sun). It is also possible for a moon to have orbital resonance with a planet (e.g. our ...
- 141
3
votes
0
answers
52
views
Would tidally locked Earth-like exoplanets necessarily have hot pole/cold pole atmospheric circulation?
A tidally locked planet orbiting a red dwarf star in its habitable zone would have a rotational period equal to its orbital period, on the order of days or weeks.
Given a thick enough atmosphere ...
- 183
2
votes
1
answer
158
views
Jupiter's effect on a hypothetical "warm" Europa's water
Imagine for a moment that Europa is not frozen solid (at least on the surface).
Would the fact that it is tidally locked to Jupiter mean that the water would be stagnate? So there would be no tides ...
- 1,559
5
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Moon's rotation and revolution
Since the moon's period of rotation around its own axis, and that of its revolution around earth is (almost) same, we always see only one side of moon. This is what was, & is taught in schools. ...
- 259
2
votes
2
answers
284
views
How close to a host star can a tidally locked planet be and its dark side still maintain a moderate temperature?
So, imagine an atmosphere-less planet, tidally locked to a sun-like star. How close to the star can the planet be before its dark side becomes too hot?
I imagine that at some point the rocks on its ...
- 1,265
6
votes
1
answer
273
views
Tidally locked Venus, is it possible and consequences?
Suppose, Venus becomes tidally locked. Will its dark side cool enough so that the CO2 from the atmosphere to precipitate in liquid form to make an ocean?
Also, I wonder, how close Venus is to becoming ...
- 1,265