The Solar System in which Earth belongs

[notb665]

I would like to know if all the planets' orbits are in one plane, as represented in diagrams, or are the orbits all in different planes?

And as Pluto sometimes comes inside Neptune's orbit, will there ever be a time when they might crash?

 

[pickles]

They are all in one plane except Uranus which is a bit behind

 

[notb665]

Like this?

 

[pickles]

Something like that. of course there is a missing planet that's recently been found. I'd post its name but I would definitely get a slap from the Mod today, and probably deserve it

If you ever used to watch spitting Image you might remember it

 

[notb665]

Uranus... a bit behind

Ah - I've just got that - was it meant to be funny?

 

[pickles]

yeees, but obviously it wasn't, so I apologise and will go and have lie down

 

[AdamW]

No, the orbits are not all on the same plane, they have varying "inclination". Usually this is an angle with respect to the Earth's orbital plane, but sometimes people use the suns equator or Jupiter's orbital plane.

Now, this is small for most planets (less than 10 degrees) but for Pluto it's nearly 20.

Because of this, I'm pretty sure that Pluto's orbit does not actually intersect Neptune's orbit. Perhaps someone would like to write a mathematical proof?

But an interesting question! If you find a proof either way, let me know!

 

[B.O.B DOLE]

I would like to know if all the planets' orbits are in one plane, as represented in diagrams, or are the orbits all in different planes?

And as Pluto sometimes comes inside Neptune's orbit, will there ever be a time when they might crash?

HI NOT according to my scorces there could be an inpact with one of jupiters moons and jupiter in the near future the recent impacts with the comet caused jupitar to slightly shift to one side causing a magnetic pull
to one of the moons which will take years for the effect to be seen.
it wont be a fast impact but a very slow one which could take up to 50 years before impact so i would not worry if i wear you.

 

[notb665]

Wikipedia:

Pluto is the ninth planet in the solar system. Discovered in 1930 and immediately classified as a planet, its status is currently under dispute. Pluto has an eccentric orbit that is highly inclined in respect to the other planets and takes it inside the orbit of Neptune.

So I assume they won't crash if the orbits are inclined.

 

[petewood]

it wont be a fast impact but a very slow one which could take up to 50 years before impact so i would not worry if i wear you.

To be honest I wasn't really that worried anyway.

 

[AdamW]

So I assume they won't crash if the orbits are inclined.

Well, as well as being highly inclined, Pluto's orbit is highly elliptical (eccentric) which means that the point where the diameter of it's orbit is equal to Neptune's will not actually intersect with Neptune's orbit.

 

[joe-90]

HI NOT according to my scorces there could be an inpact with one of jupiters moons and jupiter in the near future the recent impacts with the comet caused jupitar to slightly shift to one side causing a magnetic pull
to one of the moons which will take years for the effect to be seen.
it wont be a fast impact but a very slow one which could take up to 50 years before impact so i would not worry if i wear you.

What a load of cobblers. Jupiter is a gas giant. It's been mopping up the solar system's debris for years.


joe

 

[Steve]

ok, do orbits ever change plane? is there such an orbit where the plane of the orbit "rotates"? I was reading this thread and suddenly thought, what if orbits change and collisions between planets occur?

 

[joe-90]

ok, do orbits ever change plane? is there such an orbit where the plane of the orbit "rotates"? I was reading this thread and suddenly thought, what if orbits change and collisions between planets occur?

It's a bsic rule of science that nothing will change unless something makes it change. What could make the earth move?

There is some law of gravity that says planets cannot bump into each other anyway, they gravitational forces would destroy the smaller one. (so I've read).

 

[AdamW]

The orbit could precess, and gravitational perturbations from other bodies could make the orbit move from its current location. But, unless something extraordinary happens (a rogue Jupiter-sized planet flying through the solar system?) you aren't going to see anything dramatic happen.