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Fallingstar1971
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Could Mars itself be the "Mars sized body" that impacted the Earth to form the moon, and the combined gravity effects of Earth and Venus catapulted it to its present orbit?
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No. While Mars' orbit is more eccentric and more highly inclined than most of the major planets, it's still pretty regular as all things go. That suggests its been there pretty much since it formed.Fallingstar1971":2ovjhb45 said:Could Mars itself be the "Mars sized body" that impacted the Earth to form the moon, and the combined gravity effects of Earth and Venus catapulted it to its present orbit?
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I think that's actually pretty much exactly it. The Earth's surface and upper mantle were likely remelted during the massive impact, plus the presence of a massive moon causes tidal fluctuations.trumptor":ypskbxbi said:Could this ancient collision be part of the reason that the Earth still has a magnetic field, while Mars and Venus don't? If everything remelted from the impact, could the Earth, in a way be at an earlier stage in its cooling and that is part of the reason. And could the gravity from such a large moon also keep the Earth hotter and more active?