Why does broom stand up on its own

Planetary alignments can not cause a considerable amount of gravitational change to make brooms stand alone. If this were the case, objects weighing less than brooms would stand alone. While things may float around in New Orleans, or in The Haunted Mansion at Walt Disney World, I did not have random objects weighing less than a broom floating around my house. If it was, the pens on my desk would be floating in the air.

The broom can stand by itself because the center of gravity is directly above the edge on which it balances. The bristles are soft enough to spread out a bit at the contact point with the floor and provide a stable base to support the handle and allow the broom to balance. Of course, believing that it is the alignment of planets, otherworldly beings, or the moons gravitational pull is way more fun to talk about than the real explanation.

Here are some other fun simple physics demos you can do. BroomChallenge success. Another myth that surfaced is that the trick was due to the vernal equinox, which happens twice a year in the spring and fall when the sun is directly above the celestial equator, and day and night are of equal length. Want more of our free, weekly newsletters in your inbox? In fact, this year in the Northern Hemisphere the vernal equinox is on March 19 and Sept.

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Investigations Narratives Pulitzer Winners. Connect with us. NASA finally got in on the action that everyone claimed was originally from them, with a tweet debunking the myth. Don't get too swept up in the broomstickchallenge! Weird News. Rebecca Barry, Meteorologist. Published: February 11, pm Updated: February 11, pm.

Tags: Weird News , Social. You can stand your broom up on its own today because of the unique position of the moon.