1 (edited by Writhyn 2015-01-23 08:17:49)

Topic: WANTED: Astronomy data for a fantasy world

Hello! Let's get right to it. I've been doing some research regarding the possibility of setting my fantasy novel on an earth-like planet orbiting a gas giant.

I've gotten a lot of the basic stuff like the effects of synchronous rotation on seasons (there wouldn't be any), midday eclipse, midnight light from the gas giant being nearly as bright as the day...

I've found some great resources on this, but now I need specifics like
If the orbital period of the moon ("earth") was about 30 hours, how long would the midday eclipse be (depends on the gas giant's size...I've no idea how to estimate this)?

If the gas giant were blue like Neptune, would the reflected light during the night be obviously blue? (I'm so ignorant...)

There was a lot I read about apsidal precession and crazy orbital stuff I can't make anything out of.

Note that I've read quite a bit of speculatory stuff, so that's not what I'm looking for.
I would need some specific work done...which is asking a lot, I know. If anyone has the knowledge and would be willing to work with me on this, I'd at least offer an acknowledgment WHEN the book gets published.

What happens on this planet and when will greatly affect the cultures in my book, so I need this. Thanks for reading!

Witness me!

Thumbs up Thumbs down

Re: WANTED: Astronomy data for a fantasy world

Thumbs up Thumbs down

Re: WANTED: Astronomy data for a fantasy world

Re: WANTED: Astronomy data for a fantasy world

Boter, formerly of TF.N as Boter and DarthArjuna. I like making movies and playing games, in one order or another.

Re: WANTED: Astronomy data for a fantasy world

Witness me!

Thumbs up Thumbs down

Re: WANTED: Astronomy data for a fantasy world

Thumbs up Thumbs down

Re: WANTED: Astronomy data for a fantasy world

God loves you!

Thumbs up Thumbs down

Re: WANTED: Astronomy data for a fantasy world

Witness me!

Thumbs up Thumbs down

Re: WANTED: Astronomy data for a fantasy world

Wherever possible, I'd use existing data about the big moons like Ganymede, Europa and Titan and research as much as possible into their characteristics (days, nights, temperature, orbit etc.), that way you'd be using real science but just transplanted elsewhere.

Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were. But without it we go nowhere. - Carl Sagan

Thumbs up Thumbs down

10 (edited by ShadowDuelist 2015-01-24 05:15:54)

Re: WANTED: Astronomy data for a fantasy world

Because you said Neptune, I used actual Neptune to do some quick and dirty math. To have a 30 day orbital period our "moon" has to orbit at about 1,000,000 km. This makes our gas giant have an angular diameter of about 170 arc minutes, or ~ 6 times larger than the moon. This would roughly mean that an eclipse would last about 6 times longer, for a max of about 45 minutes when everything lines up and you're standing in the right place. As for how blue it would make your nights (and, potentially, at least a little bit, your days), use your imagination, I feel like you've got a significant amount of artistic license there.

EDIT: And to add, just in case you don't know, your planet is tidally locked to the gas giant. The above only applies to the gas giant facing side of the planet. The other side will have uninterrupted days and very dark nights. And is probably colder, I think. And gets hit by more meteors.

Thumbs up +1 Thumbs down

Re: WANTED: Astronomy data for a fantasy world

Curious why it has to orbit at 1000000 km?

Witness me!

Thumbs up Thumbs down

Re: WANTED: Astronomy data for a fantasy world

A more distant orbit would result in a slower orbital period than 30 days. Check every moon in the solar system and in fact the planets themselves. Mercury takes 88 Earth days; Neptune takes 165 Earth years.

Boter, formerly of TF.N as Boter and DarthArjuna. I like making movies and playing games, in one order or another.

13 (edited by Writhyn 2015-01-24 10:46:14)

Re: WANTED: Astronomy data for a fantasy world

Right I guess I meant could it be closer? smile

This is helpful thanks guys. It's exciting to think about how a culture would operate with a midday eclipse and a night almost as bright as the day. They'd probably have natural polyphasic sleep patterns. Also I've learned if the moon's orbit was slightly elliptical the tides could still happen. Also if the orbit precessed just outside the giant's magnetosphere they'd have a few days a year of nearly planet-wide aurorae. Think of their "new year" celebrations! Ha sorry I just think its cool.

Witness me!

Thumbs up Thumbs down

Re: WANTED: Astronomy data for a fantasy world

Also the orbital period would be thirty hours, not days.
Maybe that would force the moon inside the planet's Roche limit. Or at least inside "we're dead" limit...

Witness me!

Thumbs up Thumbs down

Re: WANTED: Astronomy data for a fantasy world

Thumbs up Thumbs down

Re: WANTED: Astronomy data for a fantasy world

Yes. I've been struggling with the necessary label for an iron-age war drama set on an alien planet...dunno I'll figure it out after I've written the thing.

Witness me!

Thumbs up Thumbs down

Re: WANTED: Astronomy data for a fantasy world

Thumbs up +1 Thumbs down

18 (edited by Tomahawk 2015-01-25 01:09:22)

Re: WANTED: Astronomy data for a fantasy world

Thumbs up +3 Thumbs down

Re: WANTED: Astronomy data for a fantasy world

I can't help with any of technical stuff, so I'll say this instead under the veil of something useful.

Don't, for the love of all things holy and good in this universe or any other, get so hung up on your world building and awesome scientifically accurate planetary rotations that you forget about your characters. It's WAY to easy of a trap to fall into, and it sucks hardcore, and believe me I love reading the wiki pages for fictional universes as much as the next guy (Don't judge me), but that's ancillary to what is happening with your characters, your story and the emotions at hand.

And going off what Tom was saying, it's like the guys are always saying, it's good for you to have your rulebook and know how the world works, but DO NOT explain it to your audience. Anything beyond what they need to know to get the picture is too much.

All of this is moot of course if you intend to write a fictional encyclopaedia of this fictional land and not a novel.

Although I hear the market is rather smaller for that sort of thing. tongue

ZangrethorDigital.ca

20 (edited by ShadowDuelist 2015-01-25 01:53:32)

Re: WANTED: Astronomy data for a fantasy world

I'm going to second Tom and BDA here. It's more important for the details to serve the story then vice versa. Unless you're writing super hard sci-fi, no one is going to get mad at you because your math doesn't check out. Don't feel beholden to my math and speculation if it's getting in the way of your story. I was going to type more here, but I realized I was just repeating what Tom said in different words, so just go read his post again.

Edit: I will add this: It's ok to tell us about your world, the details you give us help bring it to life, but do it in a natural way, and don't overwhelm us. We should learn about your world the same way we learn that Tattooine has two suns, or that Coriscant is all city. No one sits down to have a conversation about it, it just shows up in an establishing shot and everyone just treats it like it's normal, 'cause to them it is. Those details are an important part of bringing a world to life, Tattooine isn't really the same without it's twin suns, but they're backstage to the story taking place.

Thumbs up +1 Thumbs down

Re: WANTED: Astronomy data for a fantasy world

Thumbs up Thumbs down

Re: WANTED: Astronomy data for a fantasy world

....I haven't read a page, and I'm already in love with the concept world we're kinda building here.

Thumbs up +1 Thumbs down

Re: WANTED: Astronomy data for a fantasy world

Re: WANTED: Astronomy data for a fantasy world

God loves you!

Thumbs up Thumbs down

Re: WANTED: Astronomy data for a fantasy world

Boter, formerly of TF.N as Boter and DarthArjuna. I like making movies and playing games, in one order or another.