Interaction between Pluto and Neptune's gravity

[willpittenger]

I have been watching a solar system simulator. Doing so caused me to notice the orbits of Neptune and Pluto. Could Pluto ever get too close to remain unaffected by Neptune's gravity? I have been watching for several millenia's worth of time, but never saw them get closer than roughly 10 degrees. Still that does not mean it would never happen. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Will Pittenger<hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Add this user box to your Wikipedia User Page to show your support for the SDC forums: <div style="margin-left:1em">{{User:Will Pittenger/User Boxes/Space.com Account}}</div> </div>

 

[vogon13]

Pluto seems to be in a 2:3 resonance with Neptune, this will preclude close approaches to Neptune. (roughly 100 KBOs also share the resonance) In fact, Pluto can more closely approach Uranus than Neptune, (think about it).<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff0000"><strong>TPTB went to Dallas and all I got was Plucked !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#339966"><strong>So many people, so few recipes !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><strong>Let's clean up this stinkhole !!</strong></font> </p> </div>

 

[qso1]

I looked at the link but it really needs to be orthographic to see the interaction better IMO. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong>My borrowed quote for the time being:</strong></p><p><em>There are three kinds of people in life. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen...and those who do not know what happened.</em></p> </div>

 

[rfoshaug]

That's a great link! Thanks! <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /><br /><br />Also remember that Pluto's orbit has a large inclination compared with the other planets. This simulator is seen from above. If we could see it from one of the sides, you'd see that the point where Pluto's and Neptune's orbits cross, is an area in Pluto's orbit where Pluto is far above or below Neptune's orbit.<br /><br />So in three dimensions their orbits never get very close, and as already mentioned here, Pluto actually gets closer to Uranus than to Neptune. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff9900">----------------------------------</font></p><p><font color="#ff9900">My minds have many opinions</font></p> </div>

 

[rfoshaug]

In 8194 AD they get quite close. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> But the "vertical" separation between the two will still be quite large. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff9900">----------------------------------</font></p><p><font color="#ff9900">My minds have many opinions</font></p> </div>

 

[willpittenger]

I knew about the tilt, but I also have heard that Pluto's orbit had been possibly shaped by Neptune. One theory had Pluto was an escaped moon. Another stated it was a KBO object that wandered too close to Neptune. (Pluto would make quite a comet.) <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Will Pittenger<hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Add this user box to your Wikipedia User Page to show your support for the SDC forums: <div style="margin-left:1em">{{User:Will Pittenger/User Boxes/Space.com Account}}</div> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

Pluto is one of a hundred or more Plutinos whose orbits are controlled by Neptunes gravity. They are locked in a resonant orbit, due to it. They revolve twice in their orbit around the sun for every three times Neptune does. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[SpeedFreek]

Using that simulator, it seems like we should get a good look at the comet Encke around May next year <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> and Tuttle at the end of 2007. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff0000">_______________________________________________<br /></font><font size="2"><em>SpeedFreek</em></font> </p> </div>