Could a planet ever capture a comet as a moon?

Question

Like if it was close enough to the sun to have a tail; wouldn't that be an awesome light show from the surface... Maybe it could happen in another solar system, like around one of those super Earths.

Answer 1

yes. thats how we got OUR moon
http://sxxz.blogspot.com/2005/05/where-on-earth-did-moon-come-from.html

chemical anaylsis of the moon shows like 15% earth material and 85% something else.

but it actually crashed into us while earth was still hot and motlen.

the moon hit the side and basically went through the earth and came back out, held onto by the melted liquid, then it finally cooled, the ambilical cord was cut and we have what we have now.

this is also why the moon is moving AWAY from us at a rate of like 2 cm a year

whoever thumbs me down really needs to read up on the theories of the creation of the moon. the only thing you have to go on is what your mommy and daddy told you,but guess what. THEY"RE WRONG.......

shall I pull up all the links? I won't bother............. its your problem not mine.

Answer 2

It is possible for such a capture to occur. It is likely that some of the outermost moons of the gas giant planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune) may have started as cometary bodies falling inward from the Kuiper-Edgeworth Belt or the Oort Cloud.

However, I suspect that such a capture would not occur within the inner Solar System. A capture event would depend on the relative velocities of the cometary body and the capturing body as well as the depth and breadth of the capturing body's gravity field. A cometary body accelerating into the inner System is likely to have velocities greater than the escape velocities of the small, rocky planets like our Earth and will be very unlikely to have a path where a capture could take place.

On the other hand, the gas giants have significantly broader gravity fields and the velocities of cometary bodies are slower since they are farther from the Sun. Capture probabilities are thus higher although a capture during our lifetimes is highly unlikely. Still, it would be a neat sight and a real target for Earth's space programs.

Answer 3

A planet is a huge body orbiting a renowned human being at a touch consistent distance. A moon is a body orbiting a planet. A comet has an somewhat lengthy, stretched orbit that takes it faraway from the renowned human being and again close in again.

Answer 4

Because comets are usually on very elongated orbits, the difference in speed is enourmous. it is possible but the capture may involve an interchange orbit from another planet (e.g., Jupiter slows it down so that Saturn can capture it).

Comet Shoemaker-Levy-9 was captured by Jupiter and was in orbit around Jupiter for the end of its life (its orbit was still far too elongated and it crashed on Jupiter in 1994)

Answer 5

Yes. Most of Neptunes moons, for instance, are captured comets/Kuiperbelt objects. All the moons have highly elliptical orbits and Triton even orbits in a retrograde motion which would be impossible if Triton and Neptune formed at the same time.

Answer 6

You wouldn't be able to enjoy the show for long... the comet would run out of "juice" (water) quickly.

But it is possible, IF you have a third body to shed the required angular momentum with. So it's either two comets coming in, one getting captured, the other one accelerated or it is one of your moons being pushed out or even ejected from its orbit.

Answer 7

could it? yes

but as Amanssci mentioned that's a big IF!

two bodies (eg a coment and venus) have several interactions possible... hyperbolic deflections and collisions. the only conceivable way to make orbit would be atmospheric braking, and that seems REALLY unlikely.

which brings up the THIRD body.

In a system like the Earth/Moon, a comet COULD get captured by having its orbit deflected by both objects (one of them would spin a little faster... no biggie)

if you notice... this hasnt happened. its unlikely to cause more than a collision, but out in the boonies where the velocities are a little lower and there are more moons to deflect, its happening as we speak.

Answer 8

Yeah, it's possible that a planet could make a particularly large comet it's new moon. That be why Saturn and Jupiter have a gazillion moons xD

Answer 9

Sure. Jupiter tried it, but the comet smacked it.

I would imagine after a comet has completely out-gassed, it would look like any other asteroid that was captured by a planet...

Answer 10

your '?' liked to got ALL the wizards in on answering it at once..!