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

To: ctdonath2

Pluto was discovered 85 years ago and has on a 248-year orbit. It has not even been known to humankind for half a trip around the Sun yet. Calling the orbit “tranquil” is highly speculative - its planetary system sure isn’t tranquil by any stretch of the imagination, it is highly chaotic. We don’t even know for sure whether it is capable of completing one single, full stable orbit; the observational data isn’t there. Heck, we didn’t even know how many moons it had until New Horizons got close to it.


23 posted on 08/20/2015 7:14:47 AM PDT by Nep Nep
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies ]


To: Nep Nep

We understand orbital mechanics VERY well. Maybe not perfectly, but enough that Pluto’s orbit is predictable, from what we’ve seen, too well more than 40 revolutions.


24 posted on 08/20/2015 1:59:46 PM PDT by ctdonath2 (The world map will be quite different come 20 January 2017.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | 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