2 Next
Topic: For Heavens Sake.
RainbowTrout's photo
Tue 06/05/07 10:40 AM
The Earth's magnetosphere was discovered in 1958 by Explorer I during
the research performed for the International Geophysical Year. Before
this, scientists knew that electric currents flowed in space, because
solar eruptions sometimes led to "magnetic storm" disturbances. No one
knew, however, where those currents flowed and why, or that the solar
wind existed. In August and September of 1958, Project Argus was
performed to test a theory about the formation of radiation belts that
may have tactical use in war.

In 1959 Thomas Gold proposed the name magnetosphere, when he wrote:

"The region above the ionosphere in which the magnetic field of the
earth has a dominant control over the motions of gas and fast charged
particles is known to extend out to a distance of the order of 10 earth
radii; it may appropriately be called the magnetosphere." Journal
Geophysical Results' LXIV. 1219/1

no photo
Tue 06/05/07 10:45 AM
Gravity != Magnetism

They are two very different forces.

RainbowTrout's photo
Tue 06/05/07 11:01 AM
Yeah, but they seem similiar.

no photo
Tue 06/05/07 11:10 AM
Take a peice of cloth and hold all edges tightly at the same height.
Now place a marble onto the cloth. Now push a finger into the cloth
slowly adding pressure. Eventually the indentation created on the cloth
will be enough to move the marble towards your finger. This is how you
should think of gravity: Space is the cloth (yeah, I know the cloth
basically 2-d, while space is 3-d). Your finger is an object with a
high mass, which effects an object with low mass (the marble).

Now grab the marble. That's magnetism.

Both Gravity and Magnetism have a range and strength, but gravity is an
indentation in space that causes an object to fall towards the source of
gravity, while magnetism is a force that pulls an object. Magnetism
also only effects certain materials, while gravity effects all matter.

Redykeulous's photo
Tue 06/05/07 07:35 PM
Rainbow, thanks for the links. Love to find this kind of stuff again.
Some 30 or more years ago when there was only the libraries to find
information in, I read so much in regards to all the 'myths' and the
religious, but it was not possible to keep the reference material, nor
to maintain all the information in my head. So it's great that
others are leading it back to me, so I can review it all again, with a
new wisdom and new insight.

Thanks.

2 Next