Immortal Fumble Androcles: Now put your Pythagorean hat on

An immortal fumble by Androcles (17-Sep-2004)

Now put your Pythagorean hat on


I think you define roll differently to me. Perhaps we had better abandon 
such terms and resort to standard astronomical terminology, or confusion 
will reign.

We don't talk about diameter for an ellipse. There is a definition involved,
Minor axis  = Major axis * sqrt (1 - eccentricity ^2).
Solving for e,

Mi^2 = Ma^2 * 1 - e^2.
Mi^2 + e^2 = Ma^2 * 1
e^2 = Ma^2 - Mi^2
e = sqrt( Ma^2 - M^2)

Now put your Pythagorean hat on, Ma and Mi are at right-angles.

I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.  The best way
for you to understand is for me to drop clues and you to arrive at it
your way.

Fumble Index

Original post & context:
8JI2d.1120$Jv6.13648940@news-text.cableinet.net