2006-07-20 20:54:33 · 9 answers · asked by salientsamurai 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
The chances of this happening naturally would be unlikely but not impossible.
Geosynchronous orbit for the Earth is about 26200 miles.
If an asteroid or moon managed to find its way there, it would likely not be "perfectly" in place, and its orbit would degrade over time. But this time period could be millions of years or merely thousands of years.
Long enough to be used for all kinds of cool stuff.
Are you writing a book?
2006-07-20 21:33:04 · answer #1 · answered by aka DarthDad 5 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Yes, they can. To be in geosynchronous orbit merely means that a satellite is travelling at a height and speed such that it matches the rotational speed of the earth. There is no size requirement, no mysterious graviational well to worry about. Find an object, get it up high enough, give it enough speed, and it will remain in a geosynchronous orbit.
2006-07-21 04:17:42 · answer #2 · answered by N3VJA 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, any body that large in that proximty to the planet would then be an asteroid, because it would be moving....being pulled into the gravity well of the earth. It would crash into the earth. Infact it is thought that the moon comes from just such a collision. The moon's orbit is stable because it is far enough away from the center of earth's gravity to not be pulled closer to it. It is held in earth's gravity, barely, in a stable orbit. But you would not want to bring it any closer. A body that large can not be any closer and not collide with the planet. IF that's what you mean. Otherwise you should realize that the moon is in orbit right now. Just not a very close one. A sattelite can be close to the earth only if it is not too massive.
2006-07-21 04:05:08 · answer #3 · answered by tjcsonofallnations 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Certainly. There are numerous satellites in geosynchronous earth orbit right now. Furthermore, the earth is in a lunasyncronous orbit -- that's why we see the same face all the time.
2006-07-21 04:00:26 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. However is going to be a lot further away than a man made geostationary satellite because its own mass would be a significant factor. In case of man made sats we ommit their mass from the equation because it is so small compared to the earth. That is why they all reside on the same distance from the earth (36000km).
2006-07-21 04:43:42 · answer #5 · answered by Sporadic 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I doubt it, as this satellite object is in orbit around a planet, which is in orbit around a star. if this was so, only one half of the planet to which the satellite corresponds would see the aforementioned satellite.
2006-07-21 04:01:25 · answer #6 · answered by theboi 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, and in fact that is the state of equilibrium for all pairs of orbitting bodies.
2006-07-21 04:31:19 · answer #7 · answered by stellarfirefly 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes- look at the moon
2006-07-21 05:18:00 · answer #8 · answered by mike j 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
NOPE
2006-07-21 03:56:48 · answer #9 · answered by courtney 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋