# Earth orbit off 1mm-earth toast link **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 7, 2012, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/earth-orbit-off-1mm-earth-toast-link/640239 "2012-11-07T16:41:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![virtually\_yours](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a587f6/32.png) [@virtually\_yours](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/virtually_yours)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/earth-orbit-off-1mm-earth-toast-link/640239/1 "2012-11-07T16:41:50Z")
Hi I saw a doc on TV that was saying that if the orbit of the earth was to change by a millimeter or so that it would be disastrous for earth. can someone find the link for me? thanks virtually yours ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/earth-orbit-off-1mm-earth-toast-link/640239/2 "2012-11-07T16:55:10Z")
The claim is nonsense. The Earth’s orbit is slightly eccentric, which means the distance to the Sun varies by about 5 million kilometres. Over hundreds of thousands of years, the eccentricity can vary considerably due to the tug of the other planets. This wiki article on [Milankovitch Cycles](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milankovitch_cycles) details the ways in which the Earth’s orbit changes, and the effect it has on climate. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/earth-orbit-off-1mm-earth-toast-link/640239/3 "2012-11-07T17:17:16Z")
I didn’t see it on TV, but in religious-glurge emails, and it was an inch, not a millimeter (because Christians ain’t Godless metric-system-using Yurpeens), but it appears to be a commonly-used [proof-for-the-existence-of-God argument.](https://www.google.com/#hl=en&sugexp=les%3B&gs_nf=3&tok=nNgT1hCILzz6biCIEDC8vQ&cp=90&gs_id=4li&xhr=t&q=if+the+earth+were+even+one+inch+closer+to+or+further+from+the+sun+life+would+be+impossible&pf=p&safe=off&tbo=d&biw=1024&bih=636&sclient=psy-ab&oq=if+the+earth+were+even+one+inch+closer+to+or+further+from+the+sun+life+would+be+impossible&gs_l=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=4012ee0b81fab8b7&bpcl=37643589) It looks like in recent years they’ve given themselves a little breathing room by scaling the numbers up a little, so as to more closely resemble the actual [Goldilocks Zone.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldilocks_zone#Goldilocks_zone) ETA: 56 posts in eleven years? Are you EVER going to CEASE your INTERMINABLE QUESTIONS? Christ, it’s like being on a road trip across Utah in a station wagon with a six-year old. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/earth-orbit-off-1mm-earth-toast-link/640239/4 "2012-11-07T17:59:48Z")
How much energy would be required to do this instantantously? ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/earth-orbit-off-1mm-earth-toast-link/640239/5 "2012-11-07T18:12:54Z")
mmmm, toast links. ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/earth-orbit-off-1mm-earth-toast-link/640239/6 "2012-11-07T18:28:27Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > How much energy would be required to do this instantantously? An infinite amount ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/earth-orbit-off-1mm-earth-toast-link/640239/7 "2012-11-07T18:47:45Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > I didn’t see it on TV, but in religious-glurge emails, and it was an inch, not a millimeter (because Christians ain’t Godless metric-system-using Yurpeens), but it appears to be a commonly-used [proof-for-the-existence-of-God argument.](https://www.google.com/#hl=en&sugexp=les%3B&gs_nf=3&tok=nNgT1hCILzz6biCIEDC8vQ&cp=90&gs_id=4li&xhr=t&q=if+the+earth+were+even+one+inch+closer+to+or+further+from+the+sun+life+would+be+impossible&pf=p&safe=off&tbo=d&biw=1024&bih=636&sclient=psy-ab&oq=if+the+earth+were+even+one+inch+closer+to+or+further+from+the+sun+life+would+be+impossible&gs_l=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=4012ee0b81fab8b7&bpcl=37643589) Of course, the inhabitants of Venus and Mars use the fact that their planets are too hot or cold for them to exist as a proof for the non-existence of God.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/earth-orbit-off-1mm-earth-toast-link/640239/8 "2012-11-07T19:59:47Z")
[http://www.lolwtfcomics.com/upload/uploads/1316127939.jpg](http://www.lolwtfcomics.com/upload/uploads/1316127939.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![virtually\_yours](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a587f6/32.png) [@virtually\_yours](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/virtually_yours)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/earth-orbit-off-1mm-earth-toast-link/640239/9 "2012-11-07T20:23:48Z")
> [@Alka\_Seltzer](#): > > The claim is nonsense. The Earth’s orbit is slightly eccentric, which means the distance to the Sun varies by about 5 million kilometres. Over hundreds of thousands of years, the eccentricity can vary considerably due to the tug of the other planets. > > This wiki article on [Milankovitch Cycles](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milankovitch_cycles) details the ways in which the Earth’s orbit changes, and the effect it has on climate. I think it was saying that if it’s orbit (elliptical notwithstanding) was to be off 1mm or so that things would be a lot different. I.e. it has a perfect elliptical orbit and if this was to go off by that tiny amount it would change everything.. maybe exponentially. virtually yours ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/earth-orbit-off-1mm-earth-toast-link/640239/10 "2012-11-07T20:30:16Z")
> [@virtually\_yours](#): > > I think it was saying that if it’s orbit (elliptical notwithstanding) was to be off 1mm or so that things would be a lot different. I.e. it has a perfect elliptical orbit and if this was to go off by that tiny amount it would change everything.. maybe exponentially. > virtually yours Tell us something more about the “documentary.” What was the subject? What channel? I must assume it was some sort of religious program because the claim has no scientific basis whatsoever. Or else you misunderstood what the claim was. ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/earth-orbit-off-1mm-earth-toast-link/640239/11 "2012-11-07T20:33:40Z")
What would a “perfect elipitcal orbit” even mean? That’s like saying something is a “perfect rectangle”. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/earth-orbit-off-1mm-earth-toast-link/640239/12 "2012-11-07T20:39:05Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Of course, the inhabitants of Venus and Mars use the fact that their planets are too hot or cold for them to exist as a proof for the non-existence of God.🙂 Iran this post through Babelfish – it didn’t help! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/earth-orbit-off-1mm-earth-toast-link/640239/13 "2012-11-07T20:40:41Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > Iran this post through Babelfish – it didn’t help! 😉 That’s because the Tower of Babel was in modern-day Iraq. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/earth-orbit-off-1mm-earth-toast-link/640239/14 "2012-11-07T20:43:42Z")
But Persia is the next country to the East. It’s not like Iran’s so far away. ---
**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/earth-orbit-off-1mm-earth-toast-link/640239/15 "2012-11-07T21:08:46Z")
> [@Raygun99](#): > > What would a “perfect elipitcal orbit” even mean? That’s like saying something is a “perfect rectangle”. If considering the set of all parallelograms, it’s perfectly sensible to refer to some of them as “perfect rectangles”. In the space of all closed curves, only a miniscule subset are “perfect ellipses”. (of course, the Earth does not have a perfect elliptical orbit, if for no other reason than relativistic precession). ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/earth-orbit-off-1mm-earth-toast-link/640239/16 "2012-11-07T21:36:41Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > But Persia is the next country to the East. It’s not like Iran’s so far away. But it’s more than a millimeter. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/earth-orbit-off-1mm-earth-toast-link/640239/17 "2012-11-07T21:37:20Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > But Persia is the next country to the East. It’s not like Iran’s so far away. That’s flocking ridiculous. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/earth-orbit-off-1mm-earth-toast-link/640239/18 "2012-11-07T21:45:27Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > But it’s more than a millimeter. Some parts of Iraq are less than a millimetre away from Iran. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/91b2a8/32.png) [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/earth-orbit-off-1mm-earth-toast-link/640239/19 "2012-11-07T22:59:57Z")
> [@August\_West](#): > > That’s flocking ridiculous. I seagulls what you did there. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2012, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/earth-orbit-off-1mm-earth-toast-link/640239/20 "2012-11-08T00:30:38Z")
> [@leahcim](#): > > If considering the set of all parallelograms, it’s perfectly sensible to refer to some of them as “perfect rectangles”. . . . “Golden Rectangles,” yes. “Perfect rectangles,” no. What would you use for the definition of the term? In engineering terms, you might speak of a “precise rectangle,” one where the corners are 90 degrees, plus or minus 20 seconds of angular error. That’s probably better than any of us could draw on a piece of paper with ruler and pencil. But in engineering terms, a “perfect rectangle” is unobtainable. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/earth-orbit-off-1mm-earth-toast-link/640239.md?page=2)