|
What Makes a Successful Human Cannonball
To blast out of a cannon with a bang instead of a whimper, you have to:
|
|
| | See a Human Cannonball in action from the Ontario Science Centre's opening of CIRCUS! | |
|
-
Think basketball!
Shooting a human being out of a cannon is not like firing a gun. Since the target is a horizontal net, the projectile (the brave and possibly crazy performer) must travel in an arc. It's like making a lob shot in basketball; rather than firing the ball straight at the net, you need to send it through the air in a parabola.
-
Do the math.
The mathematical equations for a parabolic shot (also known as a "ballistic shot") are relatively straightforward. You need to consider the cannon angle, initial speed, and gravity.
Then you also have to factor in:
- the weight of the performer
Different performers have different body weights, which affect the calculations. Also, a performer's weight can fluctuate from one performance to the next.
- air resistance
To decrease air drag, performers wear tight clothing.
- wind speed outdoors
Winds can slow down or accelerate a projectile, or even push it sideways.
- aerodynamics
Tumbling in flight can shift the performer's centre of gravity, altering the trajectory and landing.
-
Re-evaluate your sanity.
Although it is fairly easy to calculate the theoretical math for a human cannonball firing, successfully completing the stunt is not quite so simple. Professional circus performers fine-tune their calculations by firing test dummies. Even then, a net result with a "live" human cannonball is not guaranteed. As someone in the business once said:
"Happily, the art of human ballistics has reached such a pitch of perfection that it's no more dangerous than shaving with a chainsaw."
Our tip: stick with basketball.
|
