Visualizing Gravity Wells

Visualizing Gravity Wells

Another great new infographic comic from xkcd.com. A mix of real science and humor, this one plays on the words “gravity well” by visualizing the strength of each planets gravity as the depth of a crater scaled to Earth’s surface gravity. The chart shows the “depth” of various solar system gravity wells. Each well is scaled such that rising out of a physical well of that depth - in constant Earth surface gravity - would take the same energy as escaping that planet’s gravity in reality.


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<span class='visually_embed_cycle'><span>by </span><a target='_blank' href='http://xkcd.com/?utm_source=visually_embed'>xkcd</a>. <br/>Explore more <a href='http://visual.ly'>infographics</a> like this one on the web's largest information design community - <a href='http://visual.ly'>Visually</a>.</span>
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</div> GRAVITY WELLS WEEOCOEEDOOEEE000 SCALED TO EARTH SURFACE GRAVITY AN EVEN MORE GLORIOUS DAWN TTAN GANYMEDE O, AWAITS! THIS CHART SHOWS THE 'DEPTH OF VARIOUS SOLAR SYSTEM GRAVITY WELLS. URANUS EUROPA NEPTUNE RINGS EACH WELL IS SCALED SUCH THAT RISING OUT OF A PHYSICAL WELL OF THAT DEPTH- IN CONSTANT EARTH SURFACE GRAVITY- WOULD TAKE THE SAME ENERGY AS ESCAPING FROM THAT PLANETS GRAVITY IN REALITY, EACH PLANET IS SHOWN CUT IN HALF AT THE BOTTOMOF ITS WELL, WITH THE DEPTH OF THE WELL MEASURED DOWN To THE PLANETS FLAT SURFACE. MARS 1,286 km MOON 288 KM SATURN EARTH 5478 km THE PLANET SIZES ARE TOTHE SAME SCALE AS THE WELLS. INTERPIANETARY DISTANCES ARE NOT TO SCALE. VENUS MOON GEO SYNOHRO- NOUS ORGIT DEIMOS PHOBOS LOCAL Foorenu TEAM G*RANETMASS 1286 km DEPTH = GPS SATELUTES 9*RANETRADIUS VERYDBP 6,379 km THIS ISWHY IT TOOK A G= NESTONS CONSTANT 9=9.81 "/s? TO THE MOON BUTONLY A SMAU ONE TO GET BACK. ISS SHUTTLE MARS YOUR MOM LOW EARTH ORBIT YOU COULD ESCAPE DEIMOS WITH A BIKE AND A RAMP A THROWN BASEBALL COULD ESCAPE PHOBOS. TO SUN, VERY VERY FAR DOWN JUPITER IS NOT MUCH LARGER THAN SATURN, BUT MUOH MORE MAGSIVE. AT ITS SIZE, ÁDDING MORE MASS JUST MAKES IT DENSER DUE TO THE EXTRA SQUEEZING OF GRAVITY. EARTH JUPITER O. TO SCALE TO Or SCALE IT TAKES THE SAME AMOUNT OF ENERGY TO LAUNCH SOMETHING ON AN ESCAPE TRAJECTORY AWAY FROM EARTH AS IT WOULD TO LAUNCH IT 6,000 km UPWARD UNDER CONSTANT 9.81 /s² EARTH GRAVITY. DEIMOS PHOBOS MERCURY IF YOU DROPPED A FEW DOZEN MORE JUPITERS INTO T, THE PRESSURE WOULD IGNITE RUSION AND MAKE IT A STAR. HENCE, EARTH'S WELL IS 6,000 KM DEEP. GRAVITY WELLS WEEOCOEEDOOEEE000 SCALED TO EARTH SURFACE GRAVITY AN EVEN MORE GLORIOUS DAWN TTAN GANYMEDE O, AWAITS! THIS CHART SHOWS THE 'DEPTH OF VARIOUS SOLAR SYSTEM GRAVITY WELLS. URANUS EUROPA NEPTUNE RINGS EACH WELL IS SCALED SUCH THAT RISING OUT OF A PHYSICAL WELL OF THAT DEPTH- IN CONSTANT EARTH SURFACE GRAVITY- WOULD TAKE THE SAME ENERGY AS ESCAPING FROM THAT PLANETS GRAVITY IN REALITY, EACH PLANET IS SHOWN CUT IN HALF AT THE BOTTOMOF ITS WELL, WITH THE DEPTH OF THE WELL MEASURED DOWN To THE PLANETS FLAT SURFACE. MARS 1,286 km MOON 288 KM SATURN EARTH 5478 km THE PLANET SIZES ARE TOTHE SAME SCALE AS THE WELLS. INTERPIANETARY DISTANCES ARE NOT TO SCALE. VENUS MOON GEO SYNOHRO- NOUS ORGIT DEIMOS PHOBOS LOCAL Foorenu TEAM G*RANETMASS 1286 km DEPTH = GPS SATELUTES 9*RANETRADIUS VERYDBP 6,379 km THIS ISWHY IT TOOK A G= NESTONS CONSTANT 9=9.81 "/s? TO THE MOON BUTONLY A SMAU ONE TO GET BACK. ISS SHUTTLE MARS YOUR MOM LOW EARTH ORBIT YOU COULD ESCAPE DEIMOS WITH A BIKE AND A RAMP A THROWN BASEBALL COULD ESCAPE PHOBOS. TO SUN, VERY VERY FAR DOWN JUPITER IS NOT MUCH LARGER THAN SATURN, BUT MUOH MORE MAGSIVE. AT ITS SIZE, ÁDDING MORE MASS JUST MAKES IT DENSER DUE TO THE EXTRA SQUEEZING OF GRAVITY. EARTH JUPITER O. TO SCALE TO Or SCALE IT TAKES THE SAME AMOUNT OF ENERGY TO LAUNCH SOMETHING ON AN ESCAPE TRAJECTORY AWAY FROM EARTH AS IT WOULD TO LAUNCH IT 6,000 km UPWARD UNDER CONSTANT 9.81 /s² EARTH GRAVITY. DEIMOS PHOBOS MERCURY IF YOU DROPPED A FEW DOZEN MORE JUPITERS INTO T, THE PRESSURE WOULD IGNITE RUSION AND MAKE IT A STAR. HENCE, EARTH'S WELL IS 6,000 KM DEEP. GRAVITY WELLS WEEOCOEEDOOEEE000 SCALED TO EARTH SURFACE GRAVITY AN EVEN MORE GLORIOUS DAWN TTAN GANYMEDE O, AWAITS! THIS CHART SHOWS THE 'DEPTH OF VARIOUS SOLAR SYSTEM GRAVITY WELLS. URANUS EUROPA NEPTUNE RINGS EACH WELL IS SCALED SUCH THAT RISING OUT OF A PHYSICAL WELL OF THAT DEPTH- IN CONSTANT EARTH SURFACE GRAVITY- WOULD TAKE THE SAME ENERGY AS ESCAPING FROM THAT PLANETS GRAVITY IN REALITY, EACH PLANET IS SHOWN CUT IN HALF AT THE BOTTOMOF ITS WELL, WITH THE DEPTH OF THE WELL MEASURED DOWN To THE PLANETS FLAT SURFACE. MARS 1,286 km MOON 288 KM SATURN EARTH 5478 km THE PLANET SIZES ARE TOTHE SAME SCALE AS THE WELLS. INTERPIANETARY DISTANCES ARE NOT TO SCALE. VENUS MOON GEO SYNOHRO- NOUS ORGIT DEIMOS PHOBOS LOCAL Foorenu TEAM G*RANETMASS 1286 km DEPTH = GPS SATELUTES 9*RANETRADIUS VERYDBP 6,379 km THIS ISWHY IT TOOK A G= NESTONS CONSTANT 9=9.81 "/s? TO THE MOON BUTONLY A SMAU ONE TO GET BACK. ISS SHUTTLE MARS YOUR MOM LOW EARTH ORBIT YOU COULD ESCAPE DEIMOS WITH A BIKE AND A RAMP A THROWN BASEBALL COULD ESCAPE PHOBOS. TO SUN, VERY VERY FAR DOWN JUPITER IS NOT MUCH LARGER THAN SATURN, BUT MUOH MORE MAGSIVE. AT ITS SIZE, ÁDDING MORE MASS JUST MAKES IT DENSER DUE TO THE EXTRA SQUEEZING OF GRAVITY. EARTH JUPITER O. TO SCALE TO Or SCALE IT TAKES THE SAME AMOUNT OF ENERGY TO LAUNCH SOMETHING ON AN ESCAPE TRAJECTORY AWAY FROM EARTH AS IT WOULD TO LAUNCH IT 6,000 km UPWARD UNDER CONSTANT 9.81 /s² EARTH GRAVITY. DEIMOS PHOBOS MERCURY IF YOU DROPPED A FEW DOZEN MORE JUPITERS INTO T, THE PRESSURE WOULD IGNITE RUSION AND MAKE IT A STAR. HENCE, EARTH'S WELL IS 6,000 KM DEEP. GRAVITY WELLS WEEOCOEEDOOEEE000 SCALED TO EARTH SURFACE GRAVITY AN EVEN MORE GLORIOUS DAWN TTAN GANYMEDE O, AWAITS! THIS CHART SHOWS THE 'DEPTH OF VARIOUS SOLAR SYSTEM GRAVITY WELLS. URANUS EUROPA NEPTUNE RINGS EACH WELL IS SCALED SUCH THAT RISING OUT OF A PHYSICAL WELL OF THAT DEPTH- IN CONSTANT EARTH SURFACE GRAVITY- WOULD TAKE THE SAME ENERGY AS ESCAPING FROM THAT PLANETS GRAVITY IN REALITY, EACH PLANET IS SHOWN CUT IN HALF AT THE BOTTOMOF ITS WELL, WITH THE DEPTH OF THE WELL MEASURED DOWN To THE PLANETS FLAT SURFACE. MARS 1,286 km MOON 288 KM SATURN EARTH 5478 km THE PLANET SIZES ARE TOTHE SAME SCALE AS THE WELLS. INTERPIANETARY DISTANCES ARE NOT TO SCALE. VENUS MOON GEO SYNOHRO- NOUS ORGIT DEIMOS PHOBOS LOCAL Foorenu TEAM G*RANETMASS 1286 km DEPTH = GPS SATELUTES 9*RANETRADIUS VERYDBP 6,379 km THIS ISWHY IT TOOK A G= NESTONS CONSTANT 9=9.81 "/s? TO THE MOON BUTONLY A SMAU ONE TO GET BACK. ISS SHUTTLE MARS YOUR MOM LOW EARTH ORBIT YOU COULD ESCAPE DEIMOS WITH A BIKE AND A RAMP A THROWN BASEBALL COULD ESCAPE PHOBOS. TO SUN, VERY VERY FAR DOWN JUPITER IS NOT MUCH LARGER THAN SATURN, BUT MUOH MORE MAGSIVE. AT ITS SIZE, ÁDDING MORE MASS JUST MAKES IT DENSER DUE TO THE EXTRA SQUEEZING OF GRAVITY. EARTH JUPITER O. TO SCALE TO Or SCALE IT TAKES THE SAME AMOUNT OF ENERGY TO LAUNCH SOMETHING ON AN ESCAPE TRAJECTORY AWAY FROM EARTH AS IT WOULD TO LAUNCH IT 6,000 km UPWARD UNDER CONSTANT 9.81 /s² EARTH GRAVITY. DEIMOS PHOBOS MERCURY IF YOU DROPPED A FEW DOZEN MORE JUPITERS INTO T, THE PRESSURE WOULD IGNITE RUSION AND MAKE IT A STAR. HENCE, EARTH'S WELL IS 6,000 KM DEEP. GRAVITY WELLS WEEOCOEEDOOEEE000 SCALED TO EARTH SURFACE GRAVITY AN EVEN MORE GLORIOUS DAWN TTAN GANYMEDE O, AWAITS! THIS CHART SHOWS THE 'DEPTH OF VARIOUS SOLAR SYSTEM GRAVITY WELLS. URANUS EUROPA NEPTUNE RINGS EACH WELL IS SCALED SUCH THAT RISING OUT OF A PHYSICAL WELL OF THAT DEPTH- IN CONSTANT EARTH SURFACE GRAVITY- WOULD TAKE THE SAME ENERGY AS ESCAPING FROM THAT PLANETS GRAVITY IN REALITY, EACH PLANET IS SHOWN CUT IN HALF AT THE BOTTOMOF ITS WELL, WITH THE DEPTH OF THE WELL MEASURED DOWN To THE PLANETS FLAT SURFACE. MARS 1,286 km MOON 288 KM SATURN EARTH 5478 km THE PLANET SIZES ARE TOTHE SAME SCALE AS THE WELLS. INTERPIANETARY DISTANCES ARE NOT TO SCALE. VENUS MOON GEO SYNOHRO- NOUS ORGIT DEIMOS PHOBOS LOCAL Foorenu TEAM G*RANETMASS 1286 km DEPTH = GPS SATELUTES 9*RANETRADIUS VERYDBP 6,379 km THIS ISWHY IT TOOK A G= NESTONS CONSTANT 9=9.81 "/s? TO THE MOON BUTONLY A SMAU ONE TO GET BACK. ISS SHUTTLE MARS YOUR MOM LOW EARTH ORBIT YOU COULD ESCAPE DEIMOS WITH A BIKE AND A RAMP A THROWN BASEBALL COULD ESCAPE PHOBOS. TO SUN, VERY VERY FAR DOWN JUPITER IS NOT MUCH LARGER THAN SATURN, BUT MUOH MORE MAGSIVE. AT ITS SIZE, ÁDDING MORE MASS JUST MAKES IT DENSER DUE TO THE EXTRA SQUEEZING OF GRAVITY. EARTH JUPITER O. TO SCALE TO Or SCALE IT TAKES THE SAME AMOUNT OF ENERGY TO LAUNCH SOMETHING ON AN ESCAPE TRAJECTORY AWAY FROM EARTH AS IT WOULD TO LAUNCH IT 6,000 km UPWARD UNDER CONSTANT 9.81 /s² EARTH GRAVITY. DEIMOS PHOBOS MERCURY IF YOU DROPPED A FEW DOZEN MORE JUPITERS INTO T, THE PRESSURE WOULD IGNITE RUSION AND MAKE IT A STAR. HENCE, EARTH'S WELL IS 6,000 KM DEEP.