On Introducing a Nano-Planet into an Existing Solar System

[jackpelham]

Thanks again to all who participated in the Hand Grenade in Solar Orbit discussion. Here's a related question that was prompted in my mind from that discussion:

Suppose we could magically insert a new nano-planet (we'll call it "Bob") into our existing solar system. Let's suppose that:

1. Bob is 1/1000th the mass of the earth

• Bob's orbit is in between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter (to be consistent with the hand grenade scenario)

• 
  Bob's orbit is roughly perpendicular to the general plane of the solar system.

• 
  Bob's velocity is what we would expect for an object in that orbit.

QUESTIONS: If these were the conditions of the orbit into which we magically introduced Bob, should we expect to see changes to Bob's orbit over time? Would Bob eventually end up orbiting in or near the plane in which the other planets orbit?

Thanks again for your willingness to discuss such topics with a novice who is trying to learn!

 

[SpinellTymon]

I think it probably would, I mean if it were closer to Jupiter by a couple million miles than it would most likely (over hundreds or thousands of years) drift over to Jupiter to become it's moon.

 

[Whovian]

I think it probably would, I mean if it were closer to Jupiter by a couple million miles than it would most likely (over hundreds or thousands of years) drift over to Jupiter to become it's moon.

Thanks only to friction, I should note.

 

[Drakkith]

I would say it is likely. In addition to Jupiter, it would have to worry about that pesky dwarf planet Ceres and large asteroids in the asteroid belt that it is going to travel through.

 

[pmacias]

Based on the given conditions, it is likely that Bob's orbit would change over time. This is because the gravitational forces exerted by the other planets in the solar system would affect Bob's orbit. While Bob's initial orbit may be perpendicular to the general plane of the solar system, these gravitational forces would eventually cause it to become more aligned with the plane of the other planets' orbits.

Additionally, Bob's orbit may also be influenced by the Kuiper belt and Oort cloud, which contain smaller objects that could potentially interact with Bob's orbit. These interactions could also cause changes to Bob's orbit over time.

It is possible that Bob could eventually end up orbiting in or near the same plane as the other planets, but this would depend on the specific interactions and gravitational influences it experiences over time. Overall, introducing a new nano-planet into an existing solar system would likely have significant effects on the orbits of both the new planet and the other bodies in the system.