Thread: Wondering Planet passing through a solar system

Could a solar systems gravity catch and hold a passing planet. Would the passing planet change the position of all the other planets in that solar system or would the planet just carry on and pass through that solar system.

Could the gravity of that solar system put the wondering planet into a stable orbit around its sun without changing the orbit position of other planets in that solar system. would all planets in that solar system now need to find a new orbits around its sun.

Would the gravity of the new planet affect all planets in that solar system or would it be down to the solar systems sun to determine the positions of planets.?

Originally Posted by ANDY T

Could a solar systems gravity catch and hold a passing planet.

Yes, it could.

Originally Posted by ANDY T

Would the passing planet change the position of all the other planets in that solar system or would the planet just carry on and pass through that solar system.

The other planets orbits would be perturbed by the presence of the passing planet.

Originally Posted by ANDY T

Could the gravity of that solar system put the wondering planet into a stable orbit around its sun without changing the orbit position of other planets in that solar system.

No.

Originally Posted by ANDY T

would all planets in that solar system now need to find a new orbits around its sun.

Yes.

Originally Posted by ANDY T

Would the gravity of the new planet affect all planets in that solar system or would it be down to the solar systems sun to determine the positions of planets.?

The gravity of the new planet would affect all planets in that solar system.

In our own solar system, the planets do not actually orbit around the Sun itself, but rather all bodies including Sun orbit around the gravitational barycentre of the solar system. This barycentre is sometimes inside the Sun, and sometimes not, and its position is affected by the gravity and position of all the planets.

The diagram below shows the point around which all objects in the solar system orbit, over time.

Search of new planets have always been a challenging task for astrologers. Following video helped me a lot in understanding the existence of these planets


Search for New Planets - Aerospace Engineering - Debra Fischer - Interview - Docsity.com

Originally Posted by Vicky8

Search of new planets have always been a challenging task for astrologers. Following video helped me a lot in understanding the existence of these planets


Search for New Planets - Aerospace Engineering - Debra Fischer - Interview - Docsity.com

Good video.
But remember: Astronomers, Not Astrologers!!

The amount of adjustment of planetary orbits would depend upon the original trajectory, orientation relative to the ecliptic, velocity and planetary mass of the wanderer. It would not necessarily produce dramatic changes for conditions on any of the planets.

Yeah. And the changes to the other planets' orbits wouldn't necessarily be quick. Depending on how big it is, and how close its orbit is to the center, the planet might orbit the Sun for thousands or millions of years before the rest of the planets' orbits had noticeably been affected.

The weirdest possibility would be if it adopted an orbit similar to Halley's Comet's orbit, where it's very far away from the Sun most of the time, but occasionally makes a pass to the inner solar system. Over billions of years, I don't think an orbit like that can last. Eventually it becomes centered, or the whole solar system has to move to its center. Or it gets ejected. Or something.

I mean, the system sorts itself out eventually. It just doesn't necessarily have to be well sorted at every moment. It can be a bit messed up for quite a while.

Where would the imaginary planet come from? And why our solar system?Why not find it own star to orbit? It is less than 50% that it comes our way.Even if we can catch it.

Originally Posted by merumario

Where would the imaginary planet come from? And why our solar system?Why not find it own star to orbit? It is less than 50% that it comes our way.Even if we can catch it.

Have another go at reading the OP, it does not say our solar system.

Very much.