Well, I think it would still loose momentum over time, particularly as the bullet would have no means of maintaining a stable position/trajectory once fired, plus I’m pretty sure it’d still have the same problem of potentially just falling into orbit around the targeted sun upon arrival same as it would in Sol…but yes, this is theoretically possible, shooting a bullet in such a way it could possibly achieve escape velocity from our solar system and put it on a course to reach another star system…after a few million years or so, depending on which star you target.
An object, in order to remain in orbit around our sun, has to have a given speed. The closer to the sun the faster the speed has to be. Conversely, in a more distant (from the sun) orbit an object would need a slower speed.
So, if one fired a gun (assuming it’s powerful enough to get the bullet out of earth’s gravity well) in the opposite direction of earth’s orbit, then that bullet WOULD be going slower than the required speed to stay in a stable orbit at that distance from the son, so it WOULD fall into the sun. Eventually.
Not quite the same as aiming at (and hitting) the sun, but technically it would hit the sun.
There is a scene in one of my son’s video games where a drill sergeant is explaining to his soldiers the importance of caution in using kinetic weapons, because if you miss, "that thing will keep on going, and sooner or later it will ruin somebody’s day…
scyphi26 6 days ago
Well, I think it would still loose momentum over time, particularly as the bullet would have no means of maintaining a stable position/trajectory once fired, plus I’m pretty sure it’d still have the same problem of potentially just falling into orbit around the targeted sun upon arrival same as it would in Sol…but yes, this is theoretically possible, shooting a bullet in such a way it could possibly achieve escape velocity from our solar system and put it on a course to reach another star system…after a few million years or so, depending on which star you target.
FireAnt_Hater 6 days ago
An object, in order to remain in orbit around our sun, has to have a given speed. The closer to the sun the faster the speed has to be. Conversely, in a more distant (from the sun) orbit an object would need a slower speed.
So, if one fired a gun (assuming it’s powerful enough to get the bullet out of earth’s gravity well) in the opposite direction of earth’s orbit, then that bullet WOULD be going slower than the required speed to stay in a stable orbit at that distance from the son, so it WOULD fall into the sun. Eventually.
Not quite the same as aiming at (and hitting) the sun, but technically it would hit the sun.
Correct me if I’m wrong…
Dan'lDanehy-Oakes 6 days ago
There is a scene in one of my son’s video games where a drill sergeant is explaining to his soldiers the importance of caution in using kinetic weapons, because if you miss, "that thing will keep on going, and sooner or later it will ruin somebody’s day…