Is it possible that (re: earth and moon)

In summary, the conversation discusses the possibility of the moon becoming a part of Earth's orbit through a collision with Earth in the solar system. However, it is highly unlikely due to the difficulty of objects falling into the solar system being captured by the Sun and the significant differences in the interior of Earth compared to other planets.
  • #1
nukeman
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Is it possible that...(re: Earth and moon)

(This is regarding how the moon became apart of our orbit)

Is it not possible that insted of the moon simply crashing into the earth, giving us some of its mass, and the rest just drifts off, gathers and gets caught in our orbit...could it not of been headed on a crash course WITH Earth (both traveling towards our solar system) and met/crashed in our solor system, bouching off each other causing them to dramatically reduce their speed and get caught in the suns orbit, and the moon simply getting caught and pulled in by Earth gravity and sticking it in our orbit?

Anything to really back up my claim? no :) Well, the Earth has a much different interior than mercury and venus, and much larger dense core.

Obvious difference than other plants in our solor system...life (or the environment for life)

Just a thought :)
 
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  • #2


To change their orbit about the sun - the earth+moon system would have to either gain or lose some orbital angular momentum.
It can't change it's orbit around the sun by simply swapping momentum between the Earth and the moon, it can change the two bodies - but the resulting lump would still go around the sun int he same way.
 
  • #3


Is it not possible that ... the moon ... headed on a crash course WITH Earth (both traveling towards our solar system) and met/crashed in our solor system
Possible, yes, but very unlikely. Objects falling into this system would have a very great speed, which they would have to get rid of somehow in order to be captured by the Sun. Simple collision would not do it, unless the original masses were roughly equal and the incoming velocities were nearly diametrically opposed. The likelihood of this combination of conditions is vanishingly small.

Well, the Earth has a much different interior than mercury and venus, and much larger dense core.
Not very different, in the case of Mercury; see its Wikipedia entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_(planet)#Magnetic_field_and_magnetosphere.
Venus is thought likely to have a reasonably large iron core too, but any of several conditions militate against its ability to have a notable magnetic field. See its Wikipedia entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus#Magnetic_field_and_core.
 

Related to Is it possible that (re: earth and moon)

Is it possible that the Earth and Moon will ever collide?

Yes, it is possible that the Earth and Moon could collide in the distant future, but it is extremely unlikely. The Moon's orbit around the Earth is gradually increasing, and it is estimated that in about 50 billion years, the Moon will have moved far enough away that it will no longer be able to maintain its orbit and will eventually collide with the Earth.

Is it possible that the Moon will ever leave Earth's orbit?

Yes, it is possible for the Moon to leave Earth's orbit, but it would require a significant amount of energy. This could potentially happen if the Moon were to experience a strong gravitational pull from another celestial body, such as a passing asteroid or a nearby planet.

Is it possible that the Earth and Moon have always had the same relationship?

No, it is not possible for the Earth and Moon to have always had the same relationship. Scientists believe that the Moon was formed about 4.5 billion years ago from debris left over after a Mars-sized object collided with the early Earth. The Moon has been moving away from the Earth at a rate of about 3.8 centimeters per year since then, which means that it was closer to the Earth in the past.

Is it possible that the Earth and Moon will ever rotate at the same speed?

No, it is not possible for the Earth and Moon to rotate at the same speed. The Moon's rotation is locked with its orbit around the Earth, meaning that it always shows the same face to the Earth. This is due to a phenomenon called tidal locking, which has caused the Moon's rotation to slow down over time.

Is it possible that the Moon has an effect on the Earth's tides?

Yes, it is possible and well-documented that the Moon has a significant effect on the Earth's tides. The Moon's gravitational pull causes the Earth's oceans to bulge and creates the regular pattern of high and low tides. In fact, the Moon is the main reason for the twice-daily tides we experience on Earth.

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