- #1
mee
- 213
- 1
Could Sedna be a trapped rogue planet due to the nature of its distant and highly eccentric orbit? Could a trip to Sedna thus be useful?
Could Sedna be a trapped rogue planet
- Context: Graduate
- Thread starter mee
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Discussion Overview
The discussion centers around the possibility of Sedna being a trapped rogue planet, exploring the implications of its distant and eccentric orbit. Participants consider the origins of Sedna's orbit and the potential for a probe mission to study it, delving into theoretical and speculative aspects of planetary formation and dynamics.
Discussion Character
- Exploratory
- Debate/contested
- Technical explanation
Main Points Raised
- Some participants propose that Sedna's orbit necessitates it being classified as a "trapped planet" or "rogue planet," suggesting that its existence challenges current theories of Solar System formation.
- Others express interest in sending a probe to Sedna to learn more about extraterrestrial planets, though they acknowledge the long duration and uncertain outcomes of such a mission.
- A participant questions how Sedna could have become a rogue planet, suggesting it might have been influenced by a supernova, which could imply an interesting structural history.
- Another participant cites a source suggesting that Sedna's orbit was likely altered by a star passing close to the Sun over four billion years ago.
- In contrast, one participant argues that a passing Brown Dwarf is a more plausible cause for Sedna's orbital disruption, citing the greater likelihood of Brown Dwarfs compared to stars and the potential for a more targeted gravitational influence.
- This participant also notes that a star's gravitational influence would likely affect other Kuiper Belt Objects and Neptune's orbit, which appears stable, while a Brown Dwarf could selectively impact Sedna and nearby objects.
Areas of Agreement / Disagreement
Participants express differing views on the origins of Sedna's orbit, with some supporting the idea of a passing star and others advocating for the influence of a Brown Dwarf. The discussion remains unresolved, with multiple competing hypotheses presented.
Contextual Notes
The discussion involves various assumptions about the nature of celestial bodies and their interactions, as well as the limitations of current models in explaining Sedna's orbit. Specific mathematical or physical details regarding these interactions are not fully explored.
- #2
Nommos Prime (Dogon)
- 222
- 0
Yes
Its orbit dictates that it MUST be a "trapped planet" or "rogue planet". If not, we'd better throw away all our theories on our Solar System's formation, because there ain't no room for a Sedna in it...
Its orbit dictates that it MUST be a "trapped planet" or "rogue planet". If not, we'd better throw away all our theories on our Solar System's formation, because there ain't no room for a Sedna in it...
- #3
mee
- 213
- 1
Thanks
Thats cool if you are right. Maybe we could send a probe to it and find out about extraterrestrial planets. Not that it wouldn't take forever to do it and we probably wouldn't find out anything too shattering. Its still cool!
Nommos Prime (Dogon) said:
Thats cool if you are right. Maybe we could send a probe to it and find out about extraterrestrial planets. Not that it wouldn't take forever to do it and we probably wouldn't find out anything too shattering. Its still cool!
- #4
mee
- 213
- 1
Actually...
How would it become "rogue" in the first place? Perhaps it was thrown about by a supernova and thus would have an interesting structure perhaps. It would probably be older than all our planets. Cool stuff!
mee said:
How would it become "rogue" in the first place? Perhaps it was thrown about by a supernova and thus would have an interesting structure perhaps. It would probably be older than all our planets. Cool stuff!
- #5
check
- 146
- 0
- #6
tony873004
Science Advisor
Gold Member
- 1,753
- 143
I think it's more likely that a passing Brown Dwarf, rather than a passing Star disrupted the orbit of Sedna. First of all, Brown Dwarfs are theorized to outnumber stars. With stars, the lower the mass, the more numerous the stars. There's no reason to believe that this trend ends at the mass critical for hydrogen fusion. So a Brown Dwarf passage is much more likely.
Also, a star, with its more massive gravity field would probably not be able to pluck Sedna from the Kuiper belt and send its Apihelion into the Oort Cloud without doing the same to most other Kuiper Belt Objects. A star passing that close would probably also introduce some eccentricity into Neptune's orbit. Yet Neptune's orbit is quite round.
On the other hand, a brown dwarf has the gravitational strength to do the job, and is capable of making a more surgical strike, affecting only Sedna and KBOs in Sedna's vicinity without disrupting much else. Perhaps Pluto was in Sedna's vicinity, but a bit more distant at the time so didn't get affected nearly as much. And Quaoar was on the other side of the Sun, where the Brown Dwarf couldn't touch it. Quaoar has a very round orbit.
Just my 2 cents
Also, a star, with its more massive gravity field would probably not be able to pluck Sedna from the Kuiper belt and send its Apihelion into the Oort Cloud without doing the same to most other Kuiper Belt Objects. A star passing that close would probably also introduce some eccentricity into Neptune's orbit. Yet Neptune's orbit is quite round.
On the other hand, a brown dwarf has the gravitational strength to do the job, and is capable of making a more surgical strike, affecting only Sedna and KBOs in Sedna's vicinity without disrupting much else. Perhaps Pluto was in Sedna's vicinity, but a bit more distant at the time so didn't get affected nearly as much. And Quaoar was on the other side of the Sun, where the Brown Dwarf couldn't touch it. Quaoar has a very round orbit.
Just my 2 cents
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