Why do all the planets orbit in the same plane?

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Profile Walla
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Message 419043 - Posted: 11 Sep 2006, 23:04:30 UTC
Last modified: 11 Sep 2006, 23:11:09 UTC

Why do all the planets orbit the sun in almost the same plane? I understand why they orbit but not why the orbits are all restricted to one plane. Why can't Earth orbit at 20 degrees, and Jupiter at, say 50 degrees? The same question goes for galaxies as well.
I understand that they were possibly all created from the same cloud of gas and dust but why did that cloud of gas and dust orbit in the same plane too? Why not all over?
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Message 419053 - Posted: 11 Sep 2006, 23:22:10 UTC - in response to Message 419043.  
Last modified: 11 Sep 2006, 23:38:50 UTC

Why do all the planets orbit the sun in almost the same plane? I understand why they orbit but not why the orbits are all restricted to one plane. Why can't Earth orbit at 20 degrees, and Jupiter at, say 50 degrees? The same question goes for galaxies as well.
I understand that they were possibly all created from the same cloud of gas and dust but why did that cloud of gas and dust orbit in the same plane too? Why not all over?


Maybe all the planets did not orbit on the same plane at one time? Maybe a long time ago, We had more planets that orbited on different planes. The Planets ran into our current planets and created new planets out of two planets. Even better, they created new planets and additional moons?

I am no expert, but i do know that out of disarray and over time we gain order!

Just a thought, Maybe our current solar system is close to perfect!

After all of the star stuff bouncing off each other for all the years that have passed, we have finally reached a point where our solar system is stable enough to support life....

Are we the first solar system to reach this point? I think not! that is why i participate in seti@home.....

RAT


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Message 419255 - Posted: 12 Sep 2006, 7:02:58 UTC

'Tis a fine question. So fine infact that I'm struggling to come up with a suggested answer. Possibly a strange quirk of gravity... We don't even know enough about extrasolar planetary systems to know if our solar system is unique in this way.

A further question, do the many moons found in our solar sytem also orbit their planets in the same plane? I have an idea that they don't, but i'm not certain on that.
Kolch - Crunching for the BOINC@Australia team since July 2004.
Search for your own intelligence...
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Message 419333 - Posted: 12 Sep 2006, 12:11:13 UTC
Last modified: 12 Sep 2006, 12:14:44 UTC

As Kolch theorises, it is to do with gravity.

As matter fell towards the centre of the cloud that formed the solar system, the Sun formed first. As it grew, it began to spin and the gravitational field generated, began rotate with it. This had the effect of packing the dust cloud into an "accretion disk". Such disks have been observed in other systems, by various means. Over time, of course, the materials in the disk formed planets.

Simple??? Not if you've seen the mathematics!! lol

I believe Pluto orbits the Sun at an angle of several degrees to the "ecliptic" (The plane the other planets have settled in). This has led to the theory that Pluto was a wandering planet that was captured by the Sun's gravity, and did not form with the rest of the solar system. To me, this idea makes sense, as the four outermost planets are all Gas Giants. (Pluto is no longer deemed a planet)
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Message 419465 - Posted: 12 Sep 2006, 20:16:51 UTC

From Curious about astronomy
Why do all the planets orbit in the same plane?

The orbits of the planets are coplanar because during the Solar System's formation, the planets formed out of a disk of dust which surrounded the Sun. Because that disk of dust was a disk, all in a plane, all of the planets formed in a plane as well.

Rings and disks are common in astronomy. When a cloud collapses, the conservation of angular momentum amplifies any initial tiny spin of the cloud. As the cloud spins faster and faster, it collapses into a disk, which is the maximal balance between gravitational collapse and centrifugal force created by rapid spin. The result is the coplanar planets...

Join TeamACC

Sometimes I think we are alone in the universe, and sometimes I think we are not. In either case the idea is quite staggering.
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Message 419470 - Posted: 12 Sep 2006, 20:28:18 UTC

Thanks for explaining that guys. I figured that it had to do with gravity but I just couldn't figure out exactly how.
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Message 419517 - Posted: 12 Sep 2006, 21:56:54 UTC - in response to Message 419470.  

http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/newsdesk/archive/releases/2006/25/

has info on a two disk star, Beta Pictoris.
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Message 419604 - Posted: 13 Sep 2006, 1:11:09 UTC

Sweeet. Thanks, I feel all samrtish again.


/Central Florida Astronomical Society
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Message 419667 - Posted: 13 Sep 2006, 3:13:54 UTC

Don't forget that we have the same disk of dust here in the solar system today. Over and over. The most striking example is Saturn, although Jupiter, Neptune and Uranos also have them.
Never Forget a Friend. Or an Enemy.
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Message 419736 - Posted: 13 Sep 2006, 4:34:05 UTC - in response to Message 419667.  

Don't forget that we have the same disk of dust here in the solar system today. Over and over. The most striking example is Saturn, although Jupiter, Neptune and Uranos also have them.



Dudes and or dudets.

Reach deeper!!

Reach DEPO!!

Theory!!!

not gravity!!!

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Message 420113 - Posted: 14 Sep 2006, 0:39:33 UTC

http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/newsdesk/archive/releases/2006/25/


Dudes and dudeets,

This is exactly what i stated!

Check out this site!

As a solar system ages, junk run into each other!

Combining into a single disk!

on a single plane!

RAT
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