- #1
Sanborn Chase
Gold Member
- 70
- 13
Is there any evidence of the enlargement of planetary orbits over time? Are the planets moving further from the sun?
The planets stay in orbit around the sun due to the balance between the gravitational pull of the sun and the centrifugal force of the planets' motion. This balance keeps the planets in a stable orbit without being pulled into the sun or flung out into space.
No, the planets in our solar system have different orbital planes. This means that they orbit the sun at different angles, rather than all being on the same flat plane. This is due to the way the planets formed and the gravitational interactions between them.
The time it takes for a planet to complete one orbit around the sun, also known as its orbital period, varies depending on the distance from the sun. For example, Mercury has an orbital period of 88 days, while Neptune's orbital period is 165 years.
Yes, the orbits of planets in our solar system can change over time due to a variety of factors such as gravitational interactions with other planets or objects, or the influence of external forces such as passing comets or asteroids. However, these changes occur over a very long period of time and are not noticeable within a human lifetime.
No, not all planets in our solar system have circular orbits. While some planets, such as Venus and Neptune, have nearly circular orbits, others, like Mercury and Mars, have more elliptical orbits. This means that their distance from the sun varies throughout their orbit.