2006-11-17 01:52:03 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
I mean when the solar wind is in the direction radially outwards from the sun, so let me rephrase the question: What is the angle between the spin axis of planets in the solar system with respect to the direction radially outwards from the sun?
2006-11-17 02:03:11 · update #1
The solar wind comes from the sun in all directions - therefore it would hit any planet in the orbital plane at a right angle. This would be the case if all planets revolved with a perfect 0 dgree axial tilt
But you have to consider the angle of the planets tilt - Earths is 23.5 degrees, and Uranus is a whopping 80 odd degrees. It also depends on where the planet is along its orbit - ie during british summer time we are tilted by our postion in orbit toward the sun, - that is the North Pole is angled more toward the sun. During winter - when we have traveled to the 'other side' of the sun the oposite is true - the pole is angled away from the sun.
2006-11-17 02:09:05 · answer #1 · answered by Nigeyboy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It depends on the time of the year. The solar wind can be approximated as parallel lines coming out of the sun so it all depends on the planet's axis and where it's pointing during the year. Think of the solar wind as coming in at the same angle that sun light does. Keep in mind that a planet's magnetic field diverts the wind so there's definite distortion in the area of the planet.
2006-11-17 02:05:26 · answer #2 · answered by Gene 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most of the time it's 90 degrees, planets have some wobbles and get turned by collisions. The solar winds is the suns radiation and this energy hits the Earth, at the poles the energy lights up the magnetic fields, we call them the northern and southern lights.
2006-11-17 02:21:24 · answer #3 · answered by spir_i_tual 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It can be any angle from 0 to 90 degrees. For Earth it varies between 0 and 23 degrees, depending on the season. For Uranus, it varies between 0 and 90 degrees.
2006-11-17 02:43:10 · answer #4 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It varies. Uranus lies almost "flat" (ie poles in the plane of its orbit), Mercury's axis of rotation is just about vertical (presumably because of tidal forces).
The values for each planet can be seen at the link below - look for "obliquity" in the "spin properties" section.
2006-11-17 02:11:46 · answer #5 · answered by gvih2g2 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
In a word: Obliquity
2006-11-25 00:59:55 · answer #6 · answered by Moebious 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋