Is the entire Solar System heating up?

Question

I heard something on the radio as I was driving the other night that scientists are finding evidence that suggests that the Solar System is gradually becoming warmer, but I missed the explanation as to why this is happening. Anyone have any thoughts on what I missed?

Answer 1

It's an observable fact that the polar ice caps on Mars have shrunk quite a bit (several percent) in the last 10 to 15 years. Most of it can be attributed to the (again observable) fact that the Suns radiant output is up by several percent in the last 50 years or so.

However, according to Al ('I invented the internet') Gore, it's all about pollution. But the only 'inconvient truth' in that is that we *haven't* been polluting Mars. (Unless, of course, you want to count the recent Mars missions that put some instrumentation packages and a couple of rovers on the planets surface ☺)

HTH ☺

Doug

Answer 2

Most likely what you heard on the radio deals with global warming and what causes it to happen naturally. One theory has to do with the fact that our solar system moves within our home galaxy, the Milky Way, and so at times we pass through regions of it that either allow more sunlight or less to reach Earth. More sunlight equals global warming, less equals global cooling, perhaps even ice ages.

Answer 3

Well its a slow process. its to do with the change in the way the reactions take place in the sun as it runs out of fuel. Its going to be a very long time (most likely longer than our civilisation will be here) before there is any obvious change.

Answer 4

yes with all the people on Earth being 98.6 degrees, the Earth is hotter. Therefore the Solar System is hotter

Answer 5

yes and that is why there is global warming because earth has begun a phase in which it absorbs all of the heat from Jupiter and Mars