Newly Forming Solar System Has Planets Running Backwards

[telfrow]

<i>Call it the biggest beltway ever seen. Astronomers have discovered a newly forming solar system with the inner part orbiting in one direction and the outer part orbiting the other way. <br /><br />Our solar system is a one-way boulevard. All the planets --- from Mercury out to Pluto and even the newly discovered objects beyond --- revolve around the Sun in the same direction. This is because the Sun and planets formed from the same massive, rotating cloud of dust and gas. The motion of that cloud set the motion of the planets. <br /><br />The fact that a solar system can have planets running in opposite directions is a shocker. <br /><br />"This is the first time anyone has seen anything like this, and it means that the process of forming planets from such disks is more complex than we previously expected," said Anthony Remijan of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory. </i><br /><br /> Full Story Here<br /><br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <strong><font color="#3366ff">Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will to strive, to seek, to find and not to yeild.</font> - <font color="#3366ff"><em>Tennyson</em></font></strong> </div>

 

[larper]

Actually, it seems more intuitive that all of the protosystems forming from the nursery cloud are all spinning in the same direction. Then, when two protosystems intermingle, they exchange material, which will start to orbit in the opposite direction. <br /><br />If the two protosystems were already rotating in opposite directions, they would exchange material that was rotating in the same direction.<br /><br />Think gears. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong><font color="#ff0000">Vote </font><font color="#3366ff">Libertarian</font></strong></p> </div>

 

[mikeemmert]

That's a pretty good story, telfrow. Thanks.<br /><br />There is evidence that the Kuiper belt in our own solar system has been perturbed somehow. Although the mechanism discussed in the article applies to that solar system, I feel that a different mechanism applies in our own, either a flyby of our solar system by an object formed in the same cloud as the sun or, more likely and my favorite choice, an object 3-200 Jupiter masses that is still orbiting the sun. I have done some modeling of this.<br /><br />All hypotheses should be examined. My models are frankly a little crude at this point.<br /><br />Evidence is rather sketchy at this point and has been presented and argued about on this forum . More data will be available when the PAN-STARRS system goes operational and/or a thorough geological survey has been made.

 

[mikeemmert]

Thank you, larper. This was the picture of solar system formation until recently, a more orderly system where all stars in the nursery cloud are rotating in the same direction.<br /><br />Recently, Scientific American (print) reported that turbulence may have a large effect on the formation of stars. This would cause different rotation orientations in nursery clouds. Since there's no link to magazines, I partially transcribed that article. I think you would find it very interesting.

 

[larper]

I read it, and like I said, it is more intuitive to believe that all of the protosystems are rotating in the same direction. The interaction between two such systems would result in the contra-rotating disks. No turbulence needed. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong><font color="#ff0000">Vote </font><font color="#3366ff">Libertarian</font></strong></p> </div>

 

[yevaud]

That's not dissimilar as to how the atmosphere works, with discreet boundary layers. Though there is friction between them, so I can't see how this system could continue for several GY. Most likely, whatever spin orientation the primary itself has will determine the outcome in the very long run. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Differential Diagnosis:  </em>"<strong><em>I am both amused and annoyed that you think I should be less stubborn than you are</em></strong>."<br /> </p> </div>

 

[mikeemmert]

Not if a gap developes between the two discs.

 

[yevaud]

Coupling between the two would be gravitational in nature; irrespective of any mass present (those friction effects). The retrograde worlds would be slowed down by drag from the primary. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Differential Diagnosis:  </em>"<strong><em>I am both amused and annoyed that you think I should be less stubborn than you are</em></strong>."<br /> </p> </div>

 

[bonzelite]

<font color="yellow">The retrograde worlds would be slowed down by drag from the primary.</font><br /><br />a question: what if most of the angular momentum was in the retrograde band of worlds? or even if 50% of it was in the retrograde worlds, and 50% in the prograde ones? <i>(assuming their sun has negligible angular momentum, as in the case of our own sun)</i>

 

[alokmohan]

It will be interesting cosmic tug of war.