I've heard about it, but I didn't know if it was true.
2007-03-12 04:30:23 · 6 answers · asked by Michael n 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Anything approaching planetary size in the vicinity of Mercury would have been discovered by now.
It is theoretically possible for objects to share a planet's orbit if they are near the L4 or L5 Lagrange points, 60° to either side of the planet. Objects in such orbits are sometimes called Trojans, and the locations Trojan points, after a similar group of asteroids in Jupiter's orbit.
However, it is difficult for an object to stay in orbit near Mercury's Trojan points because of the eccentricity of Mercury's orbit and perturbations from Venus. So far, no such objects have been detected.
2007-03-12 06:03:58 · answer #1 · answered by injanier 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No. The orbit of Mercury is much smaller than that of Earth, so it orbits the sun several times during each earth year (roughly every 88 days). If there were a planet Vulcan diametrically opposed to Mercury, we would see it with the same frequency.
The only way there could be a planet sharing an orbit with any other planet, and we here on Earth would never be able to see it in an optical telescope would be if the phantom planet was in Earth orbit, diametrically opposed to us. And even that would only work if Earth's orbit was a perfect circle. But since our orbit is elliptical, there is no possibility of a planet being diametrically opposed to us.
There WAS, however, a theory that there was a planet Vulcan with an orbit INSIDE that of Mercury -- it was used to explain a small perturbation of Mercury's orbit. It was proven to be false by Einstein's Theory of Relativity. See the referenced Wikipedia article.
2007-03-12 14:18:58 · answer #2 · answered by Dave_Stark 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It would have been spotted a long time ago. It is impossible to hide another planet anywhere closer to the sun (than earth's orbital distance) -- even ancient man would have spotted it.
Now... if you are thinking of the planet Vulcan, as in Star-Trek sci-fi. There is, actually there are several planets we have found orbiting Epsilon Eridani. That star is, according to the writers of Star Trek, the star which Vulcan orbits.
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2007-03-12 13:10:17 · answer #3 · answered by tlbs101 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, scientists would have discovered it by now. Whoever told you that, was either an idiot or just yanking your chain.
2007-03-12 11:34:24 · answer #4 · answered by Surveyor 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Think about it. Can you and your friend occupy the exact same spot at the exact same time ...
2007-03-12 11:35:20 · answer #5 · answered by lollipop 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
doubt it very much
2007-03-12 11:33:33 · answer #6 · answered by ? 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋