Will Pluto and Neptune eventually collide?
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Considering that the orbit of Pluto is highly eccentric, and that at certain times, Pluto is closer to the sun than Neptune then that must mean that the orbital paths of Neptune and Pluto cross. If that is the case, won't they at some point hit each other? If their orbits are not on the same plane, isn't it still possible for them to hit each other?
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Answer:
No they won't. Not only do they orbit on different planes and the "intersections" happen on different planes, but also because Neptune and Pluto are in orbital resonance. For every three orbits of Neptune around the Sun, Pluto completes 2 orbits. Orbital resonance keeps the objects in stable orbits. The only way Pluto and Neptune will collide is if some external force perturbs Pluto's orbit and sends it into a collision course with Neptune.
Justin at Yahoo! Answers Visit the source
Other answers
When viewed from above, it seems likely that Neptune and Pluto do actually "cross paths". This is incorrect, however. Though at some points Pluto is closer to the sun than Neptune, and Pluto's orbit is not in the ecplitic plane, their orbits have no intersection points. Therefore Pluto and Neptune, though they do act on each other's orbit via gravity, will never collide. Hope this helps.
CubicMoo
No
Gaurav Munjal
Only if there is a black hole on URANUS.
SweetNurse
probably not. and if they do, not for millions of years. Pluto's orbit is very tilted and elliptical, while the other planets are mostly on the same plane. Check out this pic: http://physics.uoregon.edu/~jimbrau/astr121/Notes/SS/ss-rotation.jpg to help visualize how Pluto orbits on a different plane. (I just got out of an astronomy class hehe) :) Even if they did hit each other, Neptune's so much larger than Pluto it would just swallow it up. We probably wouldn't even see it. Or it may capture Pluto into orbiting around itself like a moon.
Kelly S
Yea, Into Uranus !
Gizmo
probably not...i don't think any of the orbital paths will collide
KingRichard
Yes, it should happen next week sometime. Get out your telescope, it's gonna kick @ss.
chemicalimbalance000
No, but the Andromeda Galaxy WILL eventually collide with the Milky Way. Now that's a scary thought.....
Composer
They may if Pluto is made angry enough by the decision of the IAU.
Nicky
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