Skip to main content
more info
Source Link
ChrisF
  • 465
  • 1
  • 6
  • 13

If the parent planet is at the outer edge of the star's habitable zone then when the moon passed behind the planet the temperature will conceivably drop to life threatening levels. You only have to look at how cold it can get on Mars which can fall to -73°C Source which is certainly life threatening. While this is largely the function of Mars's thin atmosphere - an atmosphere somewhat thinner than Earth's but one that allows humans to live would still produce potentially life threatening cold nights/eclipses.

The orbital period of the moon shouldn't be a problem. The orbits of the Galilean moons of Jupiter range from hours (for Io) to 7 days for Ganymede. So you can put your moon at whatever distance gives you the "correct" period of "night".

There will probably be some warming due to the interaction with the magnetic field of the planet - look at the moons of Jupiter again for examples here - but you can easily say that this isn't enough to keep the moon warm enough.

If the parent planet is at the outer edge of the star's habitable zone then when the moon passed behind the planet the temperature will conceivably drop to life threatening levels. You only have to look at how cold it can get on Mars which can fall to -73°C Source which is certainly life threatening.

The orbital period of the moon shouldn't be a problem. The orbits of the Galilean moons of Jupiter range from hours (for Io) to 7 days for Ganymede. So you can put your moon at whatever distance gives you the "correct" period of "night".

There will probably be some warming due to the interaction with the magnetic field of the planet - look at the moons of Jupiter again for examples here - but you can easily say that this isn't enough to keep the moon warm enough.

If the parent planet is at the outer edge of the star's habitable zone then when the moon passed behind the planet the temperature will conceivably drop to life threatening levels. You only have to look at how cold it can get on Mars which can fall to -73°C Source which is certainly life threatening. While this is largely the function of Mars's thin atmosphere - an atmosphere somewhat thinner than Earth's but one that allows humans to live would still produce potentially life threatening cold nights/eclipses.

The orbital period of the moon shouldn't be a problem. The orbits of the Galilean moons of Jupiter range from hours (for Io) to 7 days for Ganymede. So you can put your moon at whatever distance gives you the "correct" period of "night".

There will probably be some warming due to the interaction with the magnetic field of the planet - look at the moons of Jupiter again for examples here - but you can easily say that this isn't enough to keep the moon warm enough.

Source Link
ChrisF
  • 465
  • 1
  • 6
  • 13

If the parent planet is at the outer edge of the star's habitable zone then when the moon passed behind the planet the temperature will conceivably drop to life threatening levels. You only have to look at how cold it can get on Mars which can fall to -73°C Source which is certainly life threatening.

The orbital period of the moon shouldn't be a problem. The orbits of the Galilean moons of Jupiter range from hours (for Io) to 7 days for Ganymede. So you can put your moon at whatever distance gives you the "correct" period of "night".

There will probably be some warming due to the interaction with the magnetic field of the planet - look at the moons of Jupiter again for examples here - but you can easily say that this isn't enough to keep the moon warm enough.