Search found 2 matches

by JimM
Tue Feb 12, 2019 12:12 am
Forum: The Bridge: Discuss an Astronomy Picture of the Day
Topic: APOD: New Data: Ultima Thule Surprisingly Flat (2019 Feb 11)
Replies: 49
Views: 11424

Re: APOD: New Data: Ultima Thule Surprisingly Flat (2019 Feb 11)

I take it back, having the spin axis at the point of connection would not minimize the tension at the connection, because tension would seem to be at a maximum at the axis. So perhaps we are indeed looking at an object which is pulling itself apart, or has frozen at a point in the process of pulling...
by JimM
Mon Feb 11, 2019 8:59 pm
Forum: The Bridge: Discuss an Astronomy Picture of the Day
Topic: APOD: New Data: Ultima Thule Surprisingly Flat (2019 Feb 11)
Replies: 49
Views: 11424

Re: APOD: New Data: Ultima Thule Surprisingly Flat (2019 Feb 11)

Interesting that the new spin axis now appears to virtually coincide with the connection between the two lobes. Since that would minimize tension at the connection for a given rate of spin, might we guess that two-component objects Ultima Thule's size suffer enough 'big' collisions to spin them up t...