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  3. Planetary orbit problems again

Planetary orbit problems again

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  • R Rob Philpott

    My last few days have been blighted with doubts about why things often seem to happen on a flat plain in space. As I understand it, which isn't very well, the planets orbit the sun on pretty much a flat plane. I'm wondering why this is, and why shouldn't there being planets going over and under the sun rather than obediently around it. (I think Pluto may make some vein attempt at this). I suspect the reason is the same for the rings of Saturn (why not a sphere) or Galaxies apparently also being quite flat. I have a number of theories, all crap. Anyone cast some light on this?

    Regards, Rob Philpott.

    enhzflepE Offline
    enhzflepE Offline
    enhzflep
    wrote on last edited by
    #4

    I think the key to Saturn's rings at least is accretion discs. I.e the material that makes up both the planet and its discs was a rotating mass before the planet formed. Once rotating, the equator of a body has a larger circumference than one that passes through each of the poles. This then helps to keep the rings bound to the same plane as the equator. Not sure about galaxies or solar systems though - however I suspect that similar forces are at play. -- On a side note, while looking for an answer I discovered that one of Saturn's moons is emitting some 1000kg/s of water vapour from it's South pole, which is then ionized and rotates around Saturn. Neat stuff. Thanks:thumbsup: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetosphere_of_Saturn[^]

    "When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down 'happy'. They told me I didn't understand the assignment, and I told them they didn't understand life." - John Lennon

    B 1 Reply Last reply
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    • R Rob Philpott

      My last few days have been blighted with doubts about why things often seem to happen on a flat plain in space. As I understand it, which isn't very well, the planets orbit the sun on pretty much a flat plane. I'm wondering why this is, and why shouldn't there being planets going over and under the sun rather than obediently around it. (I think Pluto may make some vein attempt at this). I suspect the reason is the same for the rings of Saturn (why not a sphere) or Galaxies apparently also being quite flat. I have a number of theories, all crap. Anyone cast some light on this?

      Regards, Rob Philpott.

      L Offline
      L Offline
      Lost User
      wrote on last edited by
      #5

      I've thought about this before and my theory is: 1. Varying strengths of gravitational forces depending upon the plane in which something is orbiting is in (so everything over time settles into the gravitational plane where the strength is greatest), combined with.. 2. Everything that wasn't in that plane has at some point collided with another object and either merged with it, adopted the same orbit (according to rule 1) or been knocked out of orbit. That's just my guess though, if anyone knows better it'd be interesting to hear :)

      How do you know so much about swallows? Well, you have to know these things when you're a king, you know.

      1 Reply Last reply
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      • R Rob Philpott

        My last few days have been blighted with doubts about why things often seem to happen on a flat plain in space. As I understand it, which isn't very well, the planets orbit the sun on pretty much a flat plane. I'm wondering why this is, and why shouldn't there being planets going over and under the sun rather than obediently around it. (I think Pluto may make some vein attempt at this). I suspect the reason is the same for the rings of Saturn (why not a sphere) or Galaxies apparently also being quite flat. I have a number of theories, all crap. Anyone cast some light on this?

        Regards, Rob Philpott.

        V Offline
        V Offline
        V 0
        wrote on last edited by
        #6

        it´s a feature of rotating bodies. it makes sense really, something in the ecliptical plane has sufficient speed (and thus force => centrifugal force) to counteract the force of gravity. The more above or below the ecliptical plane you are the less counterforce you have for the gravity and thus you fall into damnation (or into the planet). The rotation is caused similar to putting satellites into orbit. They still fall, but the speed is sufficiently large to miss the ground. And let that just be the knack of flying :-D . So basically it starts out as a "sphere" of debris, but only the debris in the ecliptical plane survives :). Hope this makes sense :)

        V.
        (MQOTD rules and previous solutions)

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        • R Rob Philpott

          My last few days have been blighted with doubts about why things often seem to happen on a flat plain in space. As I understand it, which isn't very well, the planets orbit the sun on pretty much a flat plane. I'm wondering why this is, and why shouldn't there being planets going over and under the sun rather than obediently around it. (I think Pluto may make some vein attempt at this). I suspect the reason is the same for the rings of Saturn (why not a sphere) or Galaxies apparently also being quite flat. I have a number of theories, all crap. Anyone cast some light on this?

          Regards, Rob Philpott.

          D Offline
          D Offline
          DaveX86
          wrote on last edited by
          #7

          Organizing Principle? There probably *were* other bodies going in various orbits at one time...they all collided, over and over, sometimes breaking up into smaller pieces which tended to follow the majority of bigger pieces (sometimes absorbing them due to higher gravity) that travelled in the same direction and on the same plane...eventually all that is left are things that occupy their own safe orbit on the same plane.

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          • R Rob Philpott

            My last few days have been blighted with doubts about why things often seem to happen on a flat plain in space. As I understand it, which isn't very well, the planets orbit the sun on pretty much a flat plane. I'm wondering why this is, and why shouldn't there being planets going over and under the sun rather than obediently around it. (I think Pluto may make some vein attempt at this). I suspect the reason is the same for the rings of Saturn (why not a sphere) or Galaxies apparently also being quite flat. I have a number of theories, all crap. Anyone cast some light on this?

            Regards, Rob Philpott.

            L Offline
            L Offline
            Lost User
            wrote on last edited by
            #8

            The angular momentum wasn't evenly distributed, and one specific direction "won". The rest cancelled out by collision.

            J 1 Reply Last reply
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            • R Rob Philpott

              My last few days have been blighted with doubts about why things often seem to happen on a flat plain in space. As I understand it, which isn't very well, the planets orbit the sun on pretty much a flat plane. I'm wondering why this is, and why shouldn't there being planets going over and under the sun rather than obediently around it. (I think Pluto may make some vein attempt at this). I suspect the reason is the same for the rings of Saturn (why not a sphere) or Galaxies apparently also being quite flat. I have a number of theories, all crap. Anyone cast some light on this?

              Regards, Rob Philpott.

              K Offline
              K Offline
              Keith Barrow
              wrote on last edited by
              #9

              Here you go: Why is the Solar System Flat?[^]

              KeithBarrow.net[^] - It might not be very good, but at least it is free!

              N R M 3 Replies Last reply
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              • K Keith Barrow

                Here you go: Why is the Solar System Flat?[^]

                KeithBarrow.net[^] - It might not be very good, but at least it is free!

                N Offline
                N Offline
                Nagy Vilmos
                wrote on last edited by
                #10

                I *think* the narrator of that *may* be lacking his meds; or have taken too much.

                veni bibi saltavi

                1 Reply Last reply
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                • K Keith Barrow

                  Here you go: Why is the Solar System Flat?[^]

                  KeithBarrow.net[^] - It might not be very good, but at least it is free!

                  R Offline
                  R Offline
                  Rob Philpott
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #11

                  That looks like just the ticket! Unfortunately I need to wait until I get home to click the link. Doing so is not in the interests of my employer. :(

                  Regards, Rob Philpott.

                  1 Reply Last reply
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                  • R Rob Philpott

                    My last few days have been blighted with doubts about why things often seem to happen on a flat plain in space. As I understand it, which isn't very well, the planets orbit the sun on pretty much a flat plane. I'm wondering why this is, and why shouldn't there being planets going over and under the sun rather than obediently around it. (I think Pluto may make some vein attempt at this). I suspect the reason is the same for the rings of Saturn (why not a sphere) or Galaxies apparently also being quite flat. I have a number of theories, all crap. Anyone cast some light on this?

                    Regards, Rob Philpott.

                    OriginalGriffO Offline
                    OriginalGriffO Offline
                    OriginalGriff
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #12

                    Space Weevils. They nest in rocks, and obviously grouped them together to make building nests easier... [In reality it's Conservation of Momentum: when gravity collapsed the original cloud the solar system was formed from, this caused the trivial spin it started with (the average "movement" of all molecules was in one direction or the other, a "zero-average" momentum is a very unlikely case) to increase in the same way that a ballerina pulling her arms inward spins faster. Once the mass is spinning "properly" a disk forms as it's the least-energy configuration. Same thing happens with planets and moons on a smaller scale.] But I prefer the Space Weevils.

                    Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...

                    "I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
                    "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt

                    N 1 Reply Last reply
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                    • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

                      Space Weevils. They nest in rocks, and obviously grouped them together to make building nests easier... [In reality it's Conservation of Momentum: when gravity collapsed the original cloud the solar system was formed from, this caused the trivial spin it started with (the average "movement" of all molecules was in one direction or the other, a "zero-average" momentum is a very unlikely case) to increase in the same way that a ballerina pulling her arms inward spins faster. Once the mass is spinning "properly" a disk forms as it's the least-energy configuration. Same thing happens with planets and moons on a smaller scale.] But I prefer the Space Weevils.

                      Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...

                      N Offline
                      N Offline
                      Nagy Vilmos
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #13

                      OriginalGriff wrote:

                      But I prefer the Space Weevils Sheep.

                      ftfy

                      veni bibi saltavi

                      OriginalGriffO 1 Reply Last reply
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                      • N Nagy Vilmos

                        OriginalGriff wrote:

                        But I prefer the Space Weevils Sheep.

                        ftfy

                        veni bibi saltavi

                        OriginalGriffO Offline
                        OriginalGriffO Offline
                        OriginalGriff
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #14

                        Sheep? Sheep don't make nests!

                        Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...

                        "I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
                        "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt

                        1 Reply Last reply
                        0
                        • R Rob Philpott

                          My last few days have been blighted with doubts about why things often seem to happen on a flat plain in space. As I understand it, which isn't very well, the planets orbit the sun on pretty much a flat plane. I'm wondering why this is, and why shouldn't there being planets going over and under the sun rather than obediently around it. (I think Pluto may make some vein attempt at this). I suspect the reason is the same for the rings of Saturn (why not a sphere) or Galaxies apparently also being quite flat. I have a number of theories, all crap. Anyone cast some light on this?

                          Regards, Rob Philpott.

                          L Offline
                          L Offline
                          Lost User
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #15

                          The universe if flat and if you go too far you fall off.

                          M 1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • R Rob Philpott

                            My last few days have been blighted with doubts about why things often seem to happen on a flat plain in space. As I understand it, which isn't very well, the planets orbit the sun on pretty much a flat plane. I'm wondering why this is, and why shouldn't there being planets going over and under the sun rather than obediently around it. (I think Pluto may make some vein attempt at this). I suspect the reason is the same for the rings of Saturn (why not a sphere) or Galaxies apparently also being quite flat. I have a number of theories, all crap. Anyone cast some light on this?

                            Regards, Rob Philpott.

                            M Offline
                            M Offline
                            Mark_Wallace
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #16

                            It's like gravity, Man. The big lumps are trying to fly away from the Sun, but they're also pulling each other together, so the only way they can go is to align on a plane.

                            I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!

                            1 Reply Last reply
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                            • K Keith Barrow

                              Here you go: Why is the Solar System Flat?[^]

                              KeithBarrow.net[^] - It might not be very good, but at least it is free!

                              M Offline
                              M Offline
                              Mark_Wallace
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #17

                              That's a very cute explanation of particle collapses. Shame it's not believed to be relevant to our solar system. Lookit: if one of the big lumps of our solar system were to decide to go off in a non-planar orbit (as they have many times in the past, through collisions, etc.), the gravity of all the other, lumps whizzing past them would slowly pull them back into the plane, and also "correct" their velocities. To avoid that, they would need something to give them a drastic change in velocity. So, the rule is: If you want to jump out of the plane, take a parachute.

                              I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!

                              1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • R Rob Philpott

                                My last few days have been blighted with doubts about why things often seem to happen on a flat plain in space. As I understand it, which isn't very well, the planets orbit the sun on pretty much a flat plane. I'm wondering why this is, and why shouldn't there being planets going over and under the sun rather than obediently around it. (I think Pluto may make some vein attempt at this). I suspect the reason is the same for the rings of Saturn (why not a sphere) or Galaxies apparently also being quite flat. I have a number of theories, all crap. Anyone cast some light on this?

                                Regards, Rob Philpott.

                                realJSOPR Offline
                                realJSOPR Offline
                                realJSOP
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #18

                                The answer is simple. Me and Chuck Norris agreed it should be this way.

                                ".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
                                -----
                                You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
                                -----
                                When you pry the gun from my cold dead hands, be careful - the barrel will be very hot. - JSOP, 2013

                                L 1 Reply Last reply
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                                • D den2k88

                                  I only know that when I drink too much I go down flat and everything starts to orbit. :doh:

                                  Geek code v 3.12 GCS d--- s-/++ a- C++++ U+++ P- L- E-- W++ N++ o+ K- w+++ O? M-- V? PS+ PE- Y+ PGP t++ 5? X R++ tv-- b+ DI+++ D++ G e++>+++ h--- r++>+++ y+++* Weapons extension: ma- k++ F+2 X

                                  L Offline
                                  L Offline
                                  Lost User
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #19

                                  You are not drunk as long as you can still lie on the ground without holding onto something.

                                  The language is JavaScript. that of Mordor, which I will not utter here
                                  This is Javascript. If you put big wheels and a racing stripe on a golf cart, it's still a fucking golf cart.
                                  "I don't know, extraterrestrial?" "You mean like from space?" "No, from Canada."

                                  OriginalGriffO 1 Reply Last reply
                                  0
                                  • realJSOPR realJSOP

                                    The answer is simple. Me and Chuck Norris agreed it should be this way.

                                    ".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
                                    -----
                                    You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
                                    -----
                                    When you pry the gun from my cold dead hands, be careful - the barrel will be very hot. - JSOP, 2013

                                    L Offline
                                    L Offline
                                    Lost User
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #20

                                    who's Chuck Norris?

                                    OriginalGriffO 1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • L Lost User

                                      You are not drunk as long as you can still lie on the ground without holding onto something.

                                      The language is JavaScript. that of Mordor, which I will not utter here
                                      This is Javascript. If you put big wheels and a racing stripe on a golf cart, it's still a fucking golf cart.
                                      "I don't know, extraterrestrial?" "You mean like from space?" "No, from Canada."

                                      OriginalGriffO Offline
                                      OriginalGriffO Offline
                                      OriginalGriff
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #21

                                      If you get sufficiently drunk and lie down, you will find the room rotates instead. There is a solution to this: tie the room down. Get some rope, tie one end to the room, and the other to the only stable thing in the universe - youself. A foot is good. Now when you lie down, the room will be unable to rotate because it can't drag you round and it all stays still. Try it, it works. Important note: try to remember about the rope round your ankle before you make a trip to the loo in the dark...

                                      Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...

                                      "I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
                                      "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt

                                      L K 2 Replies Last reply
                                      0
                                      • L Lost User

                                        who's Chuck Norris?

                                        OriginalGriffO Offline
                                        OriginalGriffO Offline
                                        OriginalGriff
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #22

                                        He's the guy who rick-rolled Rick Astly. He's the guy who can strangle you with a cordless phone. He's the guy who invented lowercase letters - to show the capital letters who's boss.

                                        Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...

                                        "I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
                                        "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt

                                        L 1 Reply Last reply
                                        0
                                        • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

                                          He's the guy who rick-rolled Rick Astly. He's the guy who can strangle you with a cordless phone. He's the guy who invented lowercase letters - to show the capital letters who's boss.

                                          Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...

                                          L Offline
                                          L Offline
                                          Lost User
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #23

                                          Yeah I've just googled Sounds like a raging Homosexual.

                                          realJSOPR 1 Reply Last reply
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