Rogue planets and dark matter

In summary: Most of the missing matter is in the form of gas.In summary, there are more rogue planets than stars, but not enough to be a viable solution for dark matter. Further research on these planets is being conducted, but current data suggests they cannot account for the missing matter in the universe. Other theories, such as MACHOs, have also been proposed but have not been able to fully explain the phenomenon of dark matter. The majority of the missing matter is believed to be in the form of gas, but there are still many unanswered questions about the nature of dark matter.
  • #1
lalbatros
1,256
2
Hello,

I learned from Yahoo about the existence of many more "rogue planets" than stars.
These planets are not bound to a solar system, they are "free floating".
I found more information on wikipedia and jpl.

I wonder now if these "rogue planets" could be an alternative to the "dark matter" to reconcile the various data on galaxies.

Would you have some ideas or some data about this?

Thanks,

Michel



http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20110518/sc_space/lonelyrogueworldssurprisinglyoutnumberplanetswithsuns [Broken]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogue_planet
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2011-147
 
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  • #2
lalbatros said:
I wonder now if these "rogue planets" could be an alternative to the "dark matter" to reconcile the various data on galaxies.

Nope. The problem with rogue planets is that there aren't enough of them to account for dark matter. A lot of the work looking for rogue planets comes from work trying to use them as an explanation for dark matter, and there aren't enough of them.

From memory, you need about a thousand times more rogue planets for them to make a reasonable candidate for dark matter.

Would you have some ideas or some data about this?

Look up MACHO.
 
  • #3
Also, both the data from BBN (Big Bang Nucleosynthesis) and the data from the CMB (Cosmic Microwave Background) tells us that the dark matter can't be composed of baryons. so dark matter can't be made of atoms - it's something else.
 
  • #4
phyzguy said:
Also, both the data from BBN (Big Bang Nucleosynthesis) and the data from the CMB (Cosmic Microwave Background) tells us that the dark matter can't be composed of baryons. so dark matter can't be made of atoms - it's something else.

Also there are different "levels" of dark matter.

If you take the estimated amount of "ordinary matter" from BBN and CMB, and the add up all of the matter that we can see, you find that we only see a small fraction of the ordinary matter out there.
 
  • #5


Hello Michel,

Thank you for bringing up this interesting topic. I find the concept of rogue planets and dark matter to be both fascinating and challenging. Let me provide some insights and data that may help answer your question.

Firstly, let's define what exactly is meant by rogue planets and dark matter. Rogue planets, also known as free-floating planets, are those that do not orbit around a star and are not bound to any solar system. They are believed to have been ejected from their original solar systems due to gravitational interactions with other planets or stars. On the other hand, dark matter is a hypothetical form of matter that is thought to make up about 85% of the total mass in the universe. It is invisible to telescopes and has only been detected through its gravitational effects on visible matter.

Now, to address your question about whether rogue planets could be an alternative to dark matter, let's consider the data we have so far. The estimated number of rogue planets in our Milky Way galaxy alone is in the billions, which is significantly higher than the number of stars. This suggests that rogue planets could potentially contribute a significant amount of mass to the universe. However, the mass of a typical rogue planet is estimated to be much lower than that of a typical star. Therefore, even if all the rogue planets in our galaxy were to be accounted for, they would still only make up a small fraction of the total mass needed to explain the observed effects of dark matter.

Additionally, rogue planets are not evenly distributed throughout the universe, as they tend to cluster around galaxies rather than being spread out. This is in contrast to the distribution of dark matter, which is believed to be more uniform. Therefore, it is unlikely that rogue planets could fully explain the effects of dark matter on a large scale.

In conclusion, while rogue planets may play a role in the overall mass of the universe, they are not a viable alternative to dark matter. The search for dark matter continues, and scientists are constantly exploring new theories and gathering more data to better understand this mysterious substance. I hope this information has been helpful in addressing your question. Thank you for your curiosity and interest in science.

Best regards,
 

1. What is a rogue planet?

A rogue planet, also known as an interstellar planet, is a planet that does not orbit a star and instead moves freely through the galaxy. These planets are thought to have been ejected from their original star systems or formed independently.

2. How are rogue planets detected?

Rogue planets are typically detected through their gravitational effects on other objects, such as stars or gas clouds. They can also be identified through their infrared emissions, which are caused by their own internal heat.

3. What is dark matter?

Dark matter is a hypothetical form of matter that does not emit or absorb light, making it invisible to traditional telescopes. It is thought to make up about 27% of the universe and is responsible for holding galaxies together through its gravitational pull.

4. How are rogue planets and dark matter related?

Rogue planets and dark matter are not directly related. However, it is possible that rogue planets could be made up of dark matter, but this has not been confirmed. Both rogue planets and dark matter are still areas of ongoing research and exploration.

5. Why is studying rogue planets and dark matter important?

Studying rogue planets and dark matter helps us better understand the formation and evolution of our universe. It also has practical applications, such as helping us understand the distribution of matter and potential gravitational effects on Earth and other planets.

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