Spin da Galaxy!

[REDJOHNNYMIKE]

Okay, so I was riding home from visiting relatives today (an incredibly boring ride, the family does not have taste for non-depressing music), the sun just sets and I'm looking at the moon and start thinking (run. away. now. J/K )...

Why, in almost every artist's rendering I've ever encountered, is our solar system depicted as being much like a plate lying on a table?
http://images.google.com/images?clie...=Search+Images
If you look at these, you'll notice that many of the artists rendering that aren't intended to be "schematic" tend to view the galaxy as a flat merry-go-round, and that it is rarely viewed from a "bicycle wheel" perspective.

Also, does anyone know what the angle of the axis of the solal system is relative to the axis of the galaxy?

Why do our minds tend to think about things this way?
Why do we consider North (not counting the slight tilt of the earth) to be a fairly good approximation of our galaxy's "up"?

And, begin debate................now...

[Anakin Skywalker]

You have WAY to much time on your hands..... lol j/k I understand why you were thinkin, car rides are always so boring.... but I don't really know why.... I suppose they think a spiral galaxy looks kinda awkward... and I can't answer the second one

[REDJOHNNYMIKE]

@RSM, Just for clarification, I meant why do the artists think this way...not me

[St. Jimmy]

America has a really heavy influence on the rest of the world.
If north is up, then America's right up there at the top eh?

[StarWarsPhreak]

I think it's for the sake of simplicity. Unless our solar system and the galaxy actually is spinning wheel shaped.

Perhaps someone who knows more about space and stuff will be able to explain.

[Jae Onasi]

Originally Posted by St. Jimmy

America has a really heavy influence on the rest of the world.
If north is up, then America's right up there at the top eh?

Actually, North wasn't always considered the 'top' on a map. West used to be put at the top of maps.

The Galactic coordinate system discusses this--the wiki link.

Our solar system sits about .23 degrees above the central plane of the galaxy center, and we're tilted--our equator is rotated about 123 degrees compared to the galaxy's 'equator'.

[Samuel Dravis]

I'd say we tend to think in ups and downs because that's how we see the world. We live on a plane and tend to think as if that's all there is (at least for most purposes). Pilots have to be specifically trained to look down for enemy aircraft/hazards because it is simply not intuitive to think that way after you've been walking on the ground for 99% of your life.

As for orientation of the ecliptic (planetary orbit) plane, we are few degrees off of perpendicular from it. That's why the Milky Way can be seen as a band going down if you are looking south.

edit: jae beat me

[Windu Chi]

Originally Posted by REDJOHNNYMIKE

Why, in almost every artist's rendering I've ever encountered, is our solar system depicted as being much like a plate lying on a table?

I will assume, for the artist's can acount for all the planets in the solar system.The only planet, in which those damn astronomers has rename a dwarf planet is Pluto, with a maximum ecliptic angle respect to our sun, of 17 degrees, 14 minutes, and 24 seconds of arc.
Has the greatest ecliptic angle respect to the sun rotation plane.

Originally Posted by REDJOHNNYMIKE

Also, does anyone know what the angle of the axis of the solal system is relative to the axis of the galaxy?

Well, the calculated result, is 0.232±.02 degrees, ± or accuracy tolerance of error in measurement.
Also fyi, our solar system lies 112.7±1.8 light years
above the central plane of the Milky Way.

Originally Posted by REDJOHNNYMIKE

Why do our minds tend to think about things this way?

I will say, that we need a reference point to refer to, for orientation respect to the society agreed standards for determining N or S directions.
Also the choice North or South directions was arbitrary chosen, until the intellectuals and governments of the known world back then in the past argreed that the artic circle will be the geometric north.
Where everybody can agree with.

Originally Posted by REDJOHNNYMIKE

Why do we consider North (not counting the slight tilt of the earth) to be a fairly good approximation of our galaxy's "up"?

By of observing the Milky Way ban of nebulous gas and dust, and looking at other galaxies to determine if our galaxy is a spiral , elliptical or of irregular shape (random statistical matter distribution of gas and dust dynamics).
They determine from, when they found the center of our galaxy; they found the center of our galaxy by finding the location with the most concentratons of stars and with strong infared sources, infared telescopes was needed to penetrate through the dense dust of stellar formation and destruction close to the center, that the milky ban of stars dust and nebulous(from observing other spiral galaxies central nebulous gas and dust) is a good reference point to refer to, that depending on orintation of that ban from Earth's perspective N or S directions they found the value, 0.232±.02 degrees.

[St. Jimmy]

Originally Posted by Jae Onasi

Actually, North wasn't always considered the 'top' on a map. West used to be put at the top of maps.

The Galactic coordinate system discusses this--the wiki link.

Our solar system sits about .23 degrees above the central plane of the galaxy center, and we're tilted--our equator is rotated about 123 degrees compared to the galaxy's 'equator'.

I was joking, but thanks for the enlightenment.

[Rabish Bini]

Whoa, Windu6, how'd ya figure that out? And up is up because that's how some guy said, so that's what it is. We can't change that, so don't.

[Windu Chi]

Originally Posted by Darth_Kotor

Whoa, Windu6, how'd ya figure that out? And up is up because that's how some guy said, so that's what it is. We can't change that, so don't.

That is how all forms of information and knowledge, is accepted, through intense scrutiny and debate, before for the info or knowledge is accepted by the most number of people and intellectuals in the society.
Also up for our definition for our galaxy is probably different for other intelligent life throughout the Milky Way.
Because their societies may have probably made a different choice for galactic north.
Where up or North for them in respect to the galaxy is down or South for us.

[Rabish Bini]

You mean aliens?

[Windu Chi]

Originally Posted by Darth_Kotor

You mean aliens?

Yes, of course !

[Rabish Bini]

Do you believe in aliens? I do.

[Windu Chi]

Originally Posted by Darth_Kotor

Do you believe in aliens? I do.

Yes, I believe in aliens, it's ridiculous not to.
In respect to the the 200 billion stars in our galaxy, and the billions of galaxies with billions of stars in them.

[Rabish Bini]

I've seen an alien. He told me he would stick a probe up my backside. I knocked him out.

[Anakin Skywalker]

Oh, please, that's like saying I saw a real Jedi that used the Force and weilded a lightsaber, I'm not saying I don't believe in aliens, I just don't believe of any in our Solar System

[Darth InSidious]

The answer is 5.

[Jae Onasi]

Originally Posted by Darth InSidious

The answer is 5.

Naw, the answer is 42.

[HerbieZ]

Originally Posted by Darth_Kotor

I've seen an alien. He told me he would stick a probe up my backside. I knocked him out.

Send it my way, it's friday an im bored.

I believe in Aliens. They exist, hopefully they look like Asgard but im not fussy.

[Windu Chi]

Originally Posted by HerbieZ

Send it my way, it's friday an im bored.

I believe in Aliens. They exist, hopefully they look like Asgard but im not fussy.

That look is about close of how the so called Grays look's like, StarGate SG-1's Asgard species.

[HerbieZ]

The most believeable alien species imho. Plus Hermiod rocks.

[Anakin Skywalker]

Don't tell me you actually believe in aliens in *this* Solar system do you?????

[CSI]

Actually, I'm intersted in Solar System. But no, actually Solar System is not like this...Not this flat. I believe the solar system under Artist's eyes are just giving you a general impression of Solar System.

I believe that the artists omitted something: Between Mars and Jupiter, there is a field called Asteroid belt.

See Wiki here for more information.

For me, I have no comment on Aliens. Well, you can't tell if you actually saw an UFO or an Alien. A lot of people mistaken the Weather Balloons as UFOs and people with Halloween Alien Suit as a Aliens.

[Off Topic: Now you guys are spamming. Is Alien related to Solar System? I recommend you to open a new thread of 'Should Alien Exist Outta There?' or like this stuff.]

[Negative Sun]

I think it's just easier to put all the planets together in one line on a piece of paper, because it's much harder to do a 3D impression of it on paper or a flat surface anyways...That's why most artists will do it that way, in reality, the axes and rotations are way over the place lol

EDIT: Btw, Google should make a Google Galaxy, I would so totally love to see that!!!

[Anakin Skywalker]

Or we could rename the Milky way galaxy (our galaxy) the Google galaxy...... lol

[Rabish Bini]

Originally Posted by HerbieZ

Send it my way, it's friday an im bored.

I believe in Aliens. They exist, hopefully they look like Asgard but im not fussy.

Naw, they look like this:


@RevanSithMaster-I have seen a Jedi, knocked him out too. And I believe in aliens in this solar system.

[Darth InSidious]

Originally Posted by Jae Onasi

Naw, the answer is 42.

D'oh.

You are, of course, correct, but what is the question?

[Rabish Bini]

The question is probably something like this:
Square root of 2500
Minus 40
Times 4
Divide by 20
Add 40

[ChAiNz.2da]

Enough Alien talk, stick to topic

[Rabish Bini]

Ok Chainz.
The galaxy is usually drawn like that because it is easier to interpret. The planets might not necessarily be like that, but it's just easier to read.

[EnderWiggin]

Originally Posted by Darth_Kotor

Ok Chainz, keep your cool, breathe in, breathe out.

I don't recommend saying things like these to your moderator -- or your parents, for that matter.

Originally Posted by Jae Onasi

Naw, the answer is 42.

_EW_