Turning planetary theory upside down

ESO ^ | Apr 13, 2010 | Unknown

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks cc, my second opportunity in two weeks to reprise this oldie:

Rogue Planet Find Makes Astronomers Ponder Theory
by Maggie Fox
October 5, 2000

Eighteen rogue planets that seem to have broken all the rules about being born from a central, controlling sun may force a rethink about how planets form, astronomers said on Thursday... "The formation of young, free-floating, planetary-mass objects like these is difficult to explain by our current models of how planets form," Zapatero-Osorio said... They are not linked to one another in an orbit, but do move together as a cluster, she said... Many stars in our own galaxy, the Milky Way, may have formed in a similar manner to the Orion stars, she said. So there could be similar, hard-to-see planets floating around free near the Solar System.

[cripplecreek]

You posted this one back in 2000, some 3 years before my Freepbirth.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1548304/posts

I just think its kind of a neat idea with no real reason it couldn’t be true. Even in deep space gravity would still work. Things start clumping together.

I also think its entirely possible for a planet to form around one star and get nudged out of orbit by a passing star if the timing is right. There’s no reason that nomadic planet couldn’t be captured in the gravity of another star. If it comes in from the opposite direction the star rotates it could lead to a retrograde orbit.

Just cool stuff fer ponderin.

[decimon]

The world has been upside down for a whole day and you’re just noticing? Gotta find a way to keep you out of those Larry King threads. ;-)