Fact or Fiction: 2 Planets Discovered in Perpendicular Orbits?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the claim of the discovery of two planets that are said to move in perpendicular orbits relative to the other nine planets in the solar system. Participants are questioning the validity of this claim and exploring the implications of such orbits.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested, Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express skepticism about the stability of perpendicular orbits, suggesting that the mass distribution in the plane of the ecliptic would likely perturb such orbits over time.
  • One participant notes that the claim may stem from a misinterpretation of what constitutes a "planet," indicating that the objects in question could potentially be larger-than-usual objects in the Oort Cloud rather than traditional planets.
  • There is a reference to a "science special" that may have presented this information, but the credibility of that source is questioned by participants.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally express skepticism regarding the claim of stable perpendicular orbits, but there is no consensus on the nature of the objects discussed or the validity of the original claim.

Contextual Notes

The discussion highlights the ambiguity surrounding the definition of "planet" and the potential for miscommunication in popular science media. There are unresolved questions about the stability of orbits and the characteristics of the objects being referred to.

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I've just talked with someone who informed me of a T.V. special, that dealt with the discovery of two planets, that move in perpendicular orbits - relative to the other nine planets. Is this true, or was I right in assuming that it was ridiculous?
 
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I don't believe that can be a long term stable orbit. The amount of mass in or near plane of the ecliptic would surely perturb such orbits after a while.
 
Originally posted by selfAdjoint
I don't believe that can be a long term stable orbit. The amount of mass in or near plane of the ecliptic would surely perturb such orbits after a while.

That's what I tried to tell him, but he insisted that he had seen this on some "science special".
 
The special to which he reffered might have been fudging around a little with the definition of "planet", since we don't really have one, yet. Maybe they were just talking about a couple of larger-than-usual objects in the Oort Cloud (which is, after all, spherical).
 

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