THX-1138 Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 How would the gravitational influence of the [relatively] nearby passage of a stellar mass affect our system? As a system, rather than as individual components (I imagine the direct effect on Sol would be moderately significant ). Would the system possibly precess under the right circumstances? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alpha2cen Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 The solution is very complex to solve analytically. We can remove the difficulty by using computer simulation method. Problem is the data accuracy of the nearby stars and data amount. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spyman Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 A close encounter with another stellar mass could affect our solar systems trajectory, how much would depend on mass and distance, close enough and it can wreak havoc severely disturbing planetary orbits. Depending on the passage, I think it could possibly change the invariable plane slightly but not cause a continued wobbling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now