Stability of the solar system

[common_sense_seeker]

This article Earth 'could collide with Mars' (http://tech.uk.msn.com/news/article.aspx?cp-documentid=147911006) shows how the orbits of the small rocky planets could destabilise in the future life of the system.

Moderator comments
common_sense_seeker's nonsensical conclusions deleted. To see the original post in its full form, see this thread.

[cosmictraveler]

Well, I guess I won't be around to watch that ever happen, no need to worry about that.

[D H]

This article pertains to the solar system being chaotic (in the sense of chaos theory). One of the scientists cited in the article, Dr Jacques Laskar, has been working on the issue of the long-term stability of the solar system for 20 years. Here is a preprint of a 2003 article he wrote on the subject: http://www.imcce.fr/Equipes/ASD/preprints/prep.2003/th2002_laskar.pdf

Wikipedia article on the same subject: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stability_of_the_Solar_System

Google search "chaos in the solar system" or "stability of the solar system" and you will find a lot more material on this subject.

[Orleander]

will our moon hit Mars before we do?

[Xylene]

I saw this item on the local news a couple of nights ago, and they had an amazing graphic anim of Earth being KO'd by Mars--but they said it wasn't going to happen for about 3 billion years (certainly not next July, anyway :D)

[LifeinTechnicolor]

lol... how can we collide? we r on a orbiting path. unless a force so mass could push us..

[Ophiolite]

lol... how can we collide? we r on a orbiting path. unless a force so mass could push us..Have you read and understood the links. Over the very long term the solar system is not stable. Orbits can change. It happens to small bodies all the time, easily and frequently. Simulations suggest it can happen to the planets as well.

[D H]

Moderator comments

I moved the bulk of common_sense_seeker's "Earth 'could collide with Mars'" thread to pseudoscience. The sensical remainder remains here.

[rich68]

the threat is more of our local galaxies..ie andromerdia..which is already on a collison cause with the milky way...i reckon this alone would destabilise the solar system.now thats what i call a plantery mix.

[MikeBeer]

the threat is more of our local galaxies..ie andromerdia..which is already on a collison cause with the milky way...i reckon this alone would destabilise the solar system.now thats what i call a plantery mix.

Actually, it wouldn't be surprising if there were no stellar collisions at all. Our solar system, being as small as it is, may be lucky enough to pass through without much hindrance. The sky would look pretty cool; nonetheless, I'm glad I won't be around.

[Xylene]

Our galaxy and Andromeda are on a collision course, it's true; but it won't happen for quite a while...:)

www.galaxydynamics.org.tflops.html

[PieAreSquared]

will our moon hit Mars before we do?


depends if it happens at night or not ;)