Sunday, 25 October 2015

astrophysics - Astronomy Olympiad Gravitation Qn

Presumably you're supposed to start by calculating the minimum orbital period a comet can have for a 10,000 AU aphelion distance.



Then divide that period (number of years) by five, assuming we see on average one of these every five years.



That will give you an estimate for how many there are out there.



(I would also tell the person setting the question that there are some pretty wild assumptions implied in the question!)

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