when a planet dies (implodes,ecc ) why does it's orbiting moon/s continue to obit around nothing ?

Answer 1

Although this scenario is highly unlikely as planet does not normally implode (it has not means of imploding not enough gravity etc) I will attempt to answer it. Yes the moon will continue to orbit as if nothing happened. This is due to the fact that every object has a center of mass; a planet is no exception. In analyzing most gravitational movement we can treat everything as a point mass, ie all of its mass is concentrated in center of mass. When a planet implode its mass does not change; thus before and after implosion all its mass is still at its center of mass and to the moon it is as if nothing happens; the moon’s orbit, dictate by the force of gravity which is due mass of the moon and the mass of the planet as well as the distance from its center of mass to the center of mass of the planet, will thus not change. By the way this question will have more merit if u use example of an imploding star and a orbiting planet as this is actually much more probable since star can and do implode.

Answer 2

Most stars grow into massive "red giants". This is caused by a breakdown in the reaction that converts hydrogen into helium and carbon through fusion inside the star. Too much carbon and the star explodes. Too much helium and the star expands. When our sun dies in a few billion years, it will swell so enormous that it destroys the earth and possibly Mars. The Jovian planets (Gaseous planets) such as Jupiter and Saturn will likely begin to disipate. Essentially, our solar system will be destroyed.

Only the gravity of a larger body cause an orbit. If the planets had nothing to orbit, they would begin to deviate from the "ecliptic" and basically fly off into space. There must always be a larger body for a planet (or moon) to orbit around, otherwise it will just float off into space. If a moon or planet orbits around nothing, there is a good change that the star it is orbiting is either:

1.) producing light of a magnitude that our eyes cannot detect since human eyes can only detect from magnitude 1 to magnitude 6.

or

2.) the body being orbited is a black hole which has enough gravity to prevent light from escaping.

Answer 3

Planets don't normally implode. Suns emplode and explode destroying the planets or releasing them from orbit. Asteroids are thought to be escaped moons. Some scientists think that Pluto is an escaped moon. Come to think of it, everytime you run into someone who thinks something, you soon run into someone equally as educated who thinks the opposite, very similar to this matter/anti-matter thing. Is this just a coincidence or does the energy vapor that is the same whether it is being used to construct stars, planets, or thoughts, conspire to keep everyone confused except for the ones who don't have enough of it to consider other information?

Answer 4

Planets don't implode. Planets don't explode. The most destructive thing that can happen to any planet is for another planet of equal or greater size to wander into its solar system and disrupt orbits, thereby increasing the likelihood of interplanetary collisions or a plunge into the central star.

Answer 5

The mass of any object is calculated as a single point at the center of the object. If a planet were to suddenly implode, although it would become much more dense, its mass would remain unchanged and would thus exert the same gravitational force as it did before.

Answer 6

I didn't know planets imploded? Surely this would cause enough debris to knock any size moon way out of orbit.

I'd be interested to know what would happen to our moon should there be a nuclear war. Not that I'll be here to confirm the answer!

Answer 7

That would not happen. If a star implodes (becomes a black hole) it's planets would continue to orbit around what looks like nothing, as the black hole has the same mass the star did.

Answer 8

Because it doesn't orbit against nothing! It either does two things:

1. It collapses as it doesn't have enough to hold its up

2. It feels the gravitational pull of another object such as a planet or a black hole and gets pulled towards it

Answer 9

The moons are just living in denial. The planets are gone, moons. Accept it and move on. Now that your orbiting days are over, maybe you can buy that ranch you always wanted.

Answer 10

why would a planet emplode? or Die? Something would have to act on it to make it change and this force would certainly effect it's moons' orbit.