Re: The GZG Digest V2 #1753

On Thu, Oct 02, 2003 at 11:00:03PM -0700, The GZG Digest wrote:
> This sounds like you're considering the local gravitational field 
> strength to be the limiting factor. That said, you might do better to 
> consider what you want the limit to be for, say, an Earth-like planet;

> set _that_, and then scale up for a star, gas giants, etc. And
remember 
> that it is possible (haven't crunched the numbers) that one could lie 
> inside the other...

Also would be useful to remember the Lagrange 1 point (between the Earth
and
Moon, or the Sun and the Earth, &cet.), where the local gravitational
force
is essentially null. There would be a region around this point where the
net
force would be beneath the threshold you specify. These points exist
throughout the solar system, and are in constant motion! Have fun... :-)

(No, I don't actually suggest that one keep a solar system simulator
going
at all hours, but it would be possible to simulate the odd planetary
assault,
made at an L1 point to catch the defending fleet napping; or a fast,
targeted raid by a numerically inferior attacker)

Cheers,

Michael