Naked Science Forum
Non Life Sciences => Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology => Topic started by: meta-sci on 21/06/2009 17:09:13
-
Just wish if anyone could help with a few enquiries concerning Pluto. It would be much appreciated.
1/ What is know of the reasons why Pluto's orbit is so ecclectic?
2/ What is the amount of time spent inside Neptune's orbit?
3/ What is the inclination of both Neptune and Pluto at the initial, centre, and final point5s of obital interaction?
4/ What is the velocities of both Neptune and Pluto at four points of 90 degrees in an anti-clockwise posit6ion with the first point being the centre of the interaction points, if possible,also at the initial and end points of interaction.
P.S. Above enquiries are a request to consider two scenarios, one relative to Pluto's position and Neptune's orbit, and other as vice versa.
Thanx for any time spent with this enquiry.
-
1/ What is know of the reasons why Pluto's orbit is so ecclectic?
I think you mean eccentric. Pluto as we now know is a Kuiper Belt object, one of many large icy bodies that orbit beyond Neptune roughly in the plane of the eccliptic. The orbits of these bodies are typically much more eccentric than the planets.
2/ What is the amount of time spent inside Neptune's orbit?
About twenty years. The last occassion was between January 21 1979 and February 11 1999.
What is the inclination of both Neptune and Pluto at the initial, centre, and final point5s of obital interaction?
The inclination remains unchanged regardless of the point in the orbit. Pluto is inclined at 17 deg to the ecliptic, while Neptune is inclined at just under two degrees.
4/ What is the velocities of both Neptune and Pluto at four points of 90 degrees in an anti-clockwise posit6ion with the first point being the centre of the interaction points, if possible,also at the initial and end points of interaction
I would have to calculate this. Can you tell me what it is you are trying to determine?
-
The orbits are all in planes which include the Sun*. The "inclination" to which we refer is the inclination of the plane of an orbit to the plane which is a sort of average of the planes of all planets.
* Ignoring tiny perturbations due to other bodies in the Solar System -but they are rely really small.
-
Heh - I like the idea of an ec[c]lectic orbit
Pluto's orbit is actually quite highly inclined. Wiki gives two figures; 11.88° to Sun's equator, and 17.141 75°, but this last is not qualified and may be relative to several datums.
-
I'm inclined - to agree with you.
-
The "inclination" to which we refer is the inclination of the plane of an orbit to the plane which is a sort of average of the planes of all planets.
Not exactly. Inclinations are usually referred to the ecliptic. That is the plane of the Earth's orbit. The invariable plane is determined from the average of angular momenta of the planets. This is about 1 deg. away from the ecliptic.
I hope we're not all going round in circles here.
-
No - they're mainly ellipses.
-
No - they're mainly ellipses.
Try to focus.
-
always arriving with the wrong words, so sorry. and thanks for the replies. Yes, I believe the inclination is relative to Earth's orbit equalling zero. I also gave the wrong description of the inclination enquiry. what was mean I guess is the degree of elevation, concerning the actual point and not of the inclination of orbit. Regarding the reasons requesting this info, I must reply, "Work in progress". Enjoyed the play of words.