[OT] Jupiter

4 posts ยท Feb 1 2002 to Feb 1 2002

From: Thomas Barclay <Thomas.Barclay@s...>

Date: Fri, 1 Feb 2002 17:10:13 -0500

Subject: [OT] Jupiter

Calling some vacc-head astrophysics/planetologist types:

I just checked out some Jupiter data (need some gas giant info for FT
scenario). It looks like 140K km diameter. Now, is this with atmosphere? If
not, how large would the diameter of the atmosphere be (from the point where
it would likely be dense enough to be noticeable to a starship)?

I'm just happy with some ballpark guesses. No need for Physics 404.;)

PS - What effects do we suspect in-atmosphere ops might have? (ie
shields don't work, sensors don't work well, firing impeded, etc, heavy
gravity, etc)

From: Brian Bilderback <bbilderback@h...>

Date: Fri, 01 Feb 2002 14:14:45 -0800

Subject: Re: [OT] Jupiter

> Tomb Wrote:

[snip]

> PS - What effects do we suspect in-atmosphere ops might have? (ie

The biggest danger to in-atmosphere ops on Jupiter is running into
self-replicating black monoliths. You have to be careful of those, man,
I mean, My God, they're full of stars....

2B^2

From: Laserlight <laserlight@q...>

Date: Fri, 1 Feb 2002 18:00:27 -0500

Subject: Re: [OT] Jupiter

> I just checked out some Jupiter data (need some gas giant info for

Yes. In fact, unless I've missed something lately, we have no very good idea
where Jupiter's surface is.

> PS - What effects do we suspect in-atmosphere ops might have? (ie

Or if you want to be nasty--shields attract lightning, beam weapons

From: Ryan Gill <rmgill@m...>

Date: Fri, 1 Feb 2002 18:16:08 -0500

Subject: Re: [OT] Jupiter

> At 6:00 PM -0500 2/1/02, Laserlight wrote:

Also, given his gravity well, I'd expect that his outer atmosphere would be
something akin to dropping into a dense cloud suddenly for a ship.

> Or if you want to be nasty--shields attract lightning, beam weapons

Dipping into jupiter's "volume" would be just like dipping into the atmosphere
of any other planet. You'd hit the atmosphere and start to slow down. If you
didn't blounce then you'd start loosing your orbit. Then you'd really start to
slow down.