Is the Solar System Really a Vortex?

The short answer? No. Not in the way that a popular animated gif insinuates, at least.

If you’re even a casual space fan you may have seen a viral gif animation showing our solar system traveling through space, the motions of the planets tracing corkscrew “vortex” paths around a line-driving Sun. While it’s definitely intriguing to watch (in that mesmerizingly-repetitive gif fashion) and rendered with a talented flair for design, there are two fundamental problems with it. One: it’s not entirely correct, scientifically, and two: its creator’s intention is to illustrate a decidedly un-scientific point of view about the Solar System and the Universe as a whole.

more….

I never thought it was…

The speed of the planets in orbit around the Sun is the same as the speed of an irrotational vortex around its core.

From 20 seconds to 1 minute in on this video.
Rotational flow

Oh well, at least I know what an “irrotational vortex” is now.

I do think the guy’s reaction to the video is over the top though. Most people are going to like pretty animations, and many people are going to go for unscientific mystical stories that purport to give life greater “meaning”.

That doesn’t mean we are buggered.

I’m just glad there are people with the patience to unravel this sort of gibberish and point out the mistakes.

Bubblecar said:

I’m just glad there are people with the patience to unravel this sort of gibberish and point out the mistakes.

so am I incidentally ;)