Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

To: cripplecreek

Me, too, I'm a sucker for science that I cannot possibly understand. Always impressed by it.

I gotta say, I have no idea what is the ultimate meaning of this paper. It was spurred, like other studies, by the discovery of the planet, Sedna, and its odd orbit. My brother got involved because he's studied and modelled planet formation. I think that's his advantage over other observers of Sedna.

Btw, great screen name!


11 posted on 12/02/2004 5:42:11 PM PST by nicollo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies ]


To: nicollo
I gotta say, I have no idea what is the ultimate meaning of this paper.

In a nutshell, it means that Sedna's existance in that particular location is an aberration--there is likely no model of solar system formation that will account for it being where it is, so given that fact, it examines the likelihood of a Sun-Star encounter leaving the matter that became Sedna, or Sedna itself in it's particular orbit.

15 posted on 12/02/2004 6:25:31 PM PST by ThinkPlease (Fortune Favors the Bold!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies ]

To: nicollo

Interesting that capture of planets is possible. There are probably planets all the way to the next star and it might be hard to say which star some of them belong to. There could also be planets sailing through space at high speed that belong to no star anymore. One of those could fly through the solar system at any time and there would be no warning. It could even hit something with energy far in excess of any asteroid hit that comes from within the solar system.


18 posted on 12/02/2004 6:56:10 PM PST by RightWhale (Destroy the dark; restore the light)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson