Why aren't they scattered around the sun in all different places?
2006-07-13 15:03:04 · 8 answers · asked by presidentrichardnixon 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
I don't know where Jacob G is getting their information from, but Pluto wasn't a moon of Uranus or any other planet. (even if it was, don't you mean Neptune? Neptune is the planet who's orbit it crosses over, not Uranus. Several millions of miles of difference there.)
Pluto is in a different plain because it is most likely a member of what are called Kuiper Belt Objects (KBO's) Those objects have orbits in a plain very much like Pluto. The fact that is in this plain however does not necessarily exclude it from being a planet. Hopefully the International Astronomical Union will put to rest whether Pluto will remain a planet or not when they give a formal name to the KBO known now as 2003 UB313. It is slightly larger than Pluto, so most likely will be classified as a planet as well. However, it's orbit is in a similar plain to Pluto, so if they decide to exclude it from the list of planets, they may remove Pluto as well.
We'll just have to wait and see...
Clear Skies!
2006-07-13 15:58:18 · answer #1 · answered by star2_watch 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
All of the planets except pluto are in the same orbital plane because the dust and gas surrounding the sun at its formation were pulled into a disc at the solar equator. The plaents then formed from this disc. It is possible that Pluto is an escaped moon of Neptune. That is why it crosses the orbit of Neptune and happens to orbit on a different plane.
Sorry I meant Neptune but I was a little tired when typing this this I corrected my answer. Thanks for the correction
2006-07-13 15:11:29 · answer #2 · answered by Jacob G 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Adding to the cloud of dust answer - the planar configuration represents one solution for a minimum state of gravitational potential energy - hence the cloud tended to be planar and the planets coalesced from it in roughly a planar configuration (with multiple perturbations as bodies moved about one another and gravity did its thing).
2006-07-13 15:44:25 · answer #3 · answered by kdog 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
How do we know if there is no planets on the other side of the sun? Only the shadow knows...
2006-07-13 15:08:30 · answer #4 · answered by 345Grasshopper 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Laws of gravity, attraction, and inertia...determine orbit.
2006-07-13 15:54:20 · answer #5 · answered by cmpbush 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are - everything is chaos - humans need to make sense of the chaos...
2006-07-13 15:07:15 · answer #6 · answered by Starlight 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
what in the world is GrapeApe saying?
2006-07-13 15:17:16 · answer #7 · answered by Rajan 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
GOOD QUESTION!
2006-07-13 15:06:23 · answer #8 · answered by ___ 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋