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

To: MtnClimber

Why are so many planets/planetoids/satllites/moons always round but the rogue asteroids are ugly masses ?


4 posted on 03/29/2024 11:55:01 AM PDT by knarf (I talk to much to be in jeapordy.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies ]


To: knarf
Why are so many planets/planetoids/satllites/moons always round but the rogue asteroids are ugly masses ?

It's really because asteroids are way too small for gravity to do its thing to pull them into a more spherical shape.

6 posted on 03/29/2024 12:03:02 PM PDT by plsvn
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies ]

To: knarf
Why are so many planets/planetoids/satllites/moons always round but the rogue asteroids are ugly masses ?

Mass and gravity.

Given enough mass, gravity will pull everything into a sphere. Smaller objects don't have the mass required for this to happen.

7 posted on 03/29/2024 12:03:35 PM PDT by Drew68
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies ]

To: knarf
Why are so many planets/planetoids/satllites/moons always round but the rogue asteroids are ugly masses ?

Because in order to be spheroidal, something must have sufficient mass to deform into that shape via gravity. And gravity tends to concentrate independent masses together into systems. So the nice round planets, moons, etc have long since been consolidated into systems and/or swept their orbits clear. The remaining scattered stuff small enough to gravitationally slung around on weird trajectories just generally isn't big enough for gravity to squash into a spheroidal shape. And those that originally were have already merged with or gone into orbit around something bigger.
8 posted on 03/29/2024 12:06:14 PM PDT by verum ago (I figure some people must truly be in love, for only love can be so blind.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies ]

To: knarf
Why are so many planets/planetoids/satllites/moons always round but the rogue asteroids are ugly masses ?

Gravity makes things round. If there is not enough mass this does not happen.

13 posted on 03/29/2024 12:48:17 PM PDT by cpdiii (cane cutter-deckhand-oilfield roughneck-drilling fluids tech-geologist-pilot-instructor-pharmacist)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies ]

To: alexander_busek
THIS is the second time I've corrected my tagline . . . . SOME thing or one has me singled out.

I'be used this tagline for years.

18 posted on 03/29/2024 7:12:21 PM PDT by knarf (I say things that are true, I have no poroof, but they're true.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | 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