- Hey, we all love Jupiter
and now we have another possible reason
to worship this crimsonide heavyweight.
It just might have
bumped our solar system's
5th gas giant, out into the void,
4 billion years ago.
(soft rock music)
This theory, based on detailed simulations
from the University of Toronto,
Department of Astronomy
and Astrophysics, paints a picture of a
turbulent early solar system.
A sumo wrestler, battle royale
of massive cosmic bodies
vying for dominance.
According to a 2011
paper, published in the
Astrophysical Journal Letters,
various clues suggest that
the orbits of gas giants,
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune
experienced dynamical instability.
They scattered out from each other.
And, the Jumping-Jupiter
theory, suggests that
Jupiter leapt to it's present
orbit as it moved away
from Uranus and Neptune.
But, here's the problem,
numerous computer simulations indicated
that Jupiter's movement,
would've made some
serious waves.
Either, knocking one of
the smaller gas giants
out of the solar system, or,
causing Earth to collide
with one of its neighbors.
Obviously, neither of
these cataclysms occurred,
so that suggests an alternative.
This turmoil, ejected a lost 5th gas giant
from the solar system.
But, if this theoretical
lost planet existed,
which gas giant bumped it out of the ring?
For years, scientists
have suspected, either
Jupiter or Saturn.
Now, a study published in
the Astrophysical Journal
presents evidence for Jupiter.
The researchers focus
on the two gas giants'
existing lunar orbits, because,
the close gravitational
action of planetory ejection,
would've significantly
altered the orbits of the ejector's moons.
They found that, while
the orbit of Jupiter's
Callisto could roll
with an ancient bust up,
Saturn's Iapetus would've
been absolutely wrecked.
As for that lost gas giant,
perhaps the rogue planet's
out there, even now, wandering
the interstellar medium
as a cosmic no man.
So there you have it.
Hit us up with your
feedback, and if you want
more cosmic weirdness, be sure to visit
now.howstuffworks.com each and everyday.
(ding)
