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planetary orbits

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goldenboy | 19:31 Mon 20th Mar 2006 | Science
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is it possible for pluto to collide with neptune, and if so what would be the likely effect?
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Well pluto does move inside the orbit of Neptune but the plane of Pluto's orbit is offset so although it is theoretically possible it is extremely unlikely that they would collide, ie Neptune would have to be in the place where Pluto crossed inside and Pluto would have to be crossing the plane in 2 different ways at once.


If they collided it would be a bigger version of the sheomaker/levy collision with Jupiter. Neptune would be scarred but it would not be affected very much for very long, Pluto and it's partner Charon would become part of Neptune.

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ta for the prompt reply loosehead

Found this on an astronomy site. http://www.astronomycafe.net/qadir/ask/a11641.html


Click on outer solar system at


java solar system viewer

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