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Author
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Topic: The Farthest Journey?
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Aztecdoug
Member Posts: 1405
From: Huntington Beach
Registered: Feb 2000
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posted 11-11-2000 04:07 PM
   
This is a trivia question that has been on my mind for a little while. I am sure everyone will get a kick out of the answer too.I would like to start out and state that I do not know the answer. I am curious if anyone has ever pondered this question before, yet the answer is out there. Who has journeyed the farthest from the Earth? The obvious answer is any of the Apollo astronauts who orbited the moon. However, which crew went the furthest? Take into account that the moon’s orbital distance varies by approximately 25,000 miles (off the top of my head) as it orbits the Earth. Therefore, one must account for the moon’s location when a particular flight took place. If you really want to get picky, you might even consider if there was an EVA on the flight and one astronaut went perhaps 5 – 10 feet outside the capsule further than the rest of the crew on a particular flight. That is of course if the EVA took the astronaut farther from the Earth, rather than closer to the Earth. I hope that everyone has fun with this, and we develop a common answer. Who knows, maybe one the astronauts who flew on those flights may read this posting and already know the answer. Have Fun! Kind Regards Doug
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randy
Member Posts: 2176
From: West Jordan, Utah USA
Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 11-11-2000 05:31 PM
I could be wrong, but I believe the answer is Apollo 13, since they didn't go into lunar orbit. |
Ed Krutulis
Member Posts: 145
From: Plainfield, IL USA
Registered: Sep 2000
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posted 11-11-2000 05:32 PM
Doug,Great question. I would have to say the crew of Apollo 17.
There mission lasted 12 days and change. What sticks in my mind is that the closer you get to Dec. 21 the longer the night fall or the further we get from the sun. Apollo 17 lasted Dec 7 -19th. Now Apollo 8, Dec 21-27th, lasted 6 days and change. After Dec 21, our days become shorter/longer daylight and start to orbit closer to the sun. Ed |
astronut
Member Posts: 969
From: South Fork, CO
Registered: Mar 2000
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posted 11-11-2000 07:20 PM
Ed my friend, let me correct you on one thing. The length of day is due to the tilt of the Earth. As the Earth moves around the sun the tilt causes different parts of the Earth to more directly face the sun, thereby changing the length of the day.------------------
q:-)
Wayne Edelman
(The Texican) |
Ben
Member Posts: 1896
From: Cape Canaveral, FL
Registered: May 2000
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posted 11-11-2000 09:59 PM
I know the answer; the Guniess book of World Records 1999 (and I have this memorized) says Apollo-13.There is also the question: Whow as the most ISOLATED person in history. The answer is also from the Apollo missions, but I forget which. Whoever it was, it was when he passed on the far side of the moon. ------------------
______ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
-Ben "'Time was invented to keep everything from happening at the same time.
Space was invented so that everything doesen't happen to you.' -Anonymous" (Feel free to email me, subject line "Collect space", as I will not recognize you otherwise! Thank you.) |
Leon Ford
Member Posts: 309
From: Shreveport, LA, United States
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 11-11-2000 10:42 PM
Something that kinda goes along with this discussion. I read somewhere just recently that the highest speed ever attained by humans was by Apollo 10 on the way back from the moon. Does anyone know if this is correct?Leon
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Odyessy85
Member Posts: 61
From:
Registered: May 2000
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posted 11-11-2000 10:45 PM
On the most isolated person in history, Al Worden comes to mind on Apollo 15. Mabey I am wrong that just seems like something I've heard.
Andrew
Ad Astra Per Aspera |
collshubby
Member Posts: 591
From: Madisonville, Louisiana
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 11-11-2000 10:51 PM
I believe the fastest speed was Apollo 10, reaching faster than 25,000 mph. As far as Worden goes, I'm not sure about the isolated bit. But I think he conducted the farthest EVA from Earth, save the moonwalkers. |
astronut
Member Posts: 969
From: South Fork, CO
Registered: Mar 2000
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posted 11-12-2000 01:23 AM
I would think that all the CMP's of Apollo 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, & 17 would qualify as most isolated during the parts of the mission where they were alone. I also think Ron Evans was isolated the longest as A17 stayed on the Moon longer.
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c]:-)
Wayne Edelman
(The Texican) |
Dan Lorraine
Member Posts: 373
From: Cranston, R.I.
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 11-12-2000 09:15 AM
Wayne my friend .... let me correct you. It's the Earths "rotation" that determines the length of the day. The Earths "tilt" relative to the ecliptic (which is 23+ degrees) gives us the seasons. December 21 (or there abouts) does give people in the northern hemisphere the longest night of the year, but it also gives people in the southern hemisphere the longest day (remember, due to the tilt in Earth's orbit, their seasons are opposite ours). So, if the answer is Apollo 17, it has nothing to do with the proximity to the December 21 date.Dan Lorraine |
Aztecdoug
Member Posts: 1405
From: Huntington Beach
Registered: Feb 2000
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posted 11-12-2000 12:37 PM
I found this URL this mroning. I haven't had too much time yet to crunch the numbers.This site lists the Apogee and Perigee of the lunar orbit which will be the basis of the answer to the initial question. There may be better URLs out there that let you put in specific dates. This one simply shows the date and distance of maximom and minimum lunar orbit throughout a given year. I just thought I would post it in case one of you is quicker with math then I am.
http://www.fourmilab.ch/earthview/pacalc.html Kind Regards Doug |
Aztecdoug
Member Posts: 1405
From: Huntington Beach
Registered: Feb 2000
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posted 11-12-2000 12:58 PM
I just tried using the above mentioned URL. It isn't precise enough to get this exactly right.Using it though gives me some rough estimates of the distance of the moon during the mission. Though in most cases the dates are not right on the mark with the time of the mission. So far the best bet is the following mission: AS-10 Mission Date 5/18/69 - 5/26/69 Moon on 5/22/69 405,033 KM This is rough estimate though. Still working on it here. Regards Doug |
astronut
Member Posts: 969
From: South Fork, CO
Registered: Mar 2000
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posted 11-12-2000 01:46 PM
Dan old buddy, what I was refering to is Ed's statement of:<<<What sticks in my mind is that the closer you get to Dec. 21 the longer the night fall or the further we get from the sun. Apollo 17 lasted Dec 7 -19th.>>> Not the length of the (approx) 24 hr day. I was talking about the amount of daylight versus darkness which is caused by the Earth's tilt in relation to it's place in orbit during the year. Sorry I wasn't more clear about that. ------------------
c]:-)
Wayne Edelman
(The Texican) |
Ben
Member Posts: 1896
From: Cape Canaveral, FL
Registered: May 2000
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posted 11-12-2000 05:54 PM
OK...just ckecked the Guniess book to make sure. So heres what it states:For furthest distance from earth, APOLLO 13. Precisely 248,655 miles from earth; 158 from the moons surface at the time; on April 15th, 1970. For most isolated human ever***: CMP Al Worden, APOLLO 15. Precisely 2,234 miles & 1330 yards from Scott and Irwin on the moon. For fastest speed attained by humans: APOLLO 10; trans-earth return. Precisely 24,791 mph, upon CONTACT WITH EARTHS ATMOSPHERE (75 and 7/10ths miles in altitude from the surface of the earth); May 1969. THATS IT!! (I have to be right :)
*** Note: for isolated human. This is not to mention those Neanderthal explorers way back when!!!
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-Ben "'Time was invented to keep everything from happening at the same time.
Space was invented so that everything doesen't happen to you.' -Anonymous" (Feel free to email me, subject line "Collect space", as I will not recognize you otherwise! Thank you.) [This message has been edited by Ben (edited November 12, 2000).] |
Aztecdoug
Member Posts: 1405
From: Huntington Beach
Registered: Feb 2000
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posted 11-12-2000 08:48 PM
Well, that turned out to be a lot easier than I thought it would be!Very good then. Each of the two main categories are a three way tie for the entire crew of each flight. That was very interesting. I would like to thank everyone for jumping into the fray. Kind Regards Doug |
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