If you follow the steps in An Idiot’s Guide to Making a Solar System, you would expect to see a nice star with round planets moving in a flat circle. However, our Solar System is different. Its planets move in tilted paths and are not perfectly round. So, what happened?
Scientists think a big object might have entered our Solar System long ago. This object could have changed the orbits of the planets before it left. Researchers from the University of Toronto and the University of Arizona studied this idea.
They found that an object between 2 and 50 times the size of Jupiter could have moved near the Sun. This object might have changed the paths of the planets we see today.
The scientists ran many computer simulations. They discovered a mass about 8 times that of Jupiter could match our current planetary orbits. They believe this is a possible reason for the strange shapes of the orbits.
Our Solar System might face more changes in the future. New stars and objects can drift close to us. This research is available on the preprint server, arXiv.
Vocabulary List:
- Orbits /ˈɔːr.bɪts/ (noun): The curved path of a celestial object around a star or planet.
- Tilted /ˈtɪl.tɪd/ (adjective): Slanted or inclined from a vertical or horizontal position.
- Simulations /ˌsɪm.jəˈleɪ.ʃənz/ (noun): Imitations of the operation of a real-world process or system over time.
- Planets /ˈplæn.ɪts/ (noun): Celestial bodies moving in an elliptical orbit around a star.
- Researchers /rɪˈsɜːr.tʃərz/ (noun): People who conduct systematic investigations to establish facts.
- Drift /drɪft/ (verb): To be carried slowly by a current of air or water.
