Randy Poe wrote:
Nick wrote:
Randy Poe wrote:

You don't think the earth is moving?
Not toward the spaceship Randy!!!

No? If I were plotting an Earth to Mars trip, I would
definitely take advantage of the Earth's motion so that
I would make sure that the earth WAS traveling toward
the ship.

It occurs to me that perhaps Nick/Mitch thinks of
a Mars-Earth or Earth-Mars trip as being radially
in or out from the sun.

Not so. It is a spiral, taking much more distance
laterally than radially. See this for instance:

http://www.spaceref.com/tools/vi.htm...=mediumimag e

Same link: http://tinyurl.com/5hysu

Notice on this journey from earth to mars that mars
is moving toward the spacecraft.

- Randy