Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology => Topic started by: jeffreyH on 06/09/2015 11:53:25

Title: Are solar system orbits aligned?
Post by: jeffreyH on 06/09/2015 11:53:25

Has anyone attempted to determine if the elliptical orbits around the sun are aligned with respect to Sag A*? EDIT: By this i mean the plane of the orbits.

Title: Re: Are solar system orbits aligned?
Post by: Mordeth on 06/09/2015 16:32:27

No.  The solar system orbital plane orientation is determined by the initial angular momentum that existed when it formed many billions of years ago.  We are tipped 63 degrees off the galactic plane, which is random with respect to anything but ourselves (determined by our own angular momentum and nothing more).

It appears that the stars orbiting Sag A are not in a defined orbital plane.  The orbits appear random.  This implies they were not formed near the black hole.  Interestingly, and on a side note, the stars appear very young therefore suggesting they were in fact formed near the black hole.  This creates another problem as it is thought that tidal forces near the black hole would prevent this from happening.

Title: Re: Are solar system orbits aligned?
Post by: jeffreyH on 06/09/2015 18:29:44

Thanks. That is very interesting. It is much more than I expected.

Title: Re: Are solar system orbits aligned?
Post by: jeffreyH on 14/09/2015 01:13:39

Alignment of butterfly nebulae in the milky way.

https://www.spacetelescope.org/news/heic1316/

This is weirder than I imagined.