Planets question - probably missing something obvious
Discussion
Hi all.
Have a question about the planets which probably has a logical answer but for the life of me I can't figure it out. Tbh I'm probably just being a bit thick and missing an obvious explanation.
I'm looking out of my window at Venus and loaded my app up to confirm that it was what I thought. I then notice that every planet is on exactly the same axis. From top to bottom it is Uranus, Venus, Neptune, Mercury (very slightly off line), (the sun), Saturn, Pluto, Jupiter, Mars.
This strikes me as being unusual/a coincidence but given ALL the planets are along the same line I'm now thinking there must be a logical explanation...
So why is this so? Why aren't the planets "dotted about"? Why aren't some behind me?
Please enlighten me and make me kick myself!
Cheers.
Have a question about the planets which probably has a logical answer but for the life of me I can't figure it out. Tbh I'm probably just being a bit thick and missing an obvious explanation.
I'm looking out of my window at Venus and loaded my app up to confirm that it was what I thought. I then notice that every planet is on exactly the same axis. From top to bottom it is Uranus, Venus, Neptune, Mercury (very slightly off line), (the sun), Saturn, Pluto, Jupiter, Mars.
This strikes me as being unusual/a coincidence but given ALL the planets are along the same line I'm now thinking there must be a logical explanation...
So why is this so? Why aren't the planets "dotted about"? Why aren't some behind me?
Please enlighten me and make me kick myself!
Cheers.
Edited by WhisperingWasp on Friday 21st February 20:15
Some may very well be "behind you".
But you have noticed something quite fundamental to the Solar System, all of the planets and most of the moons and asteroids all orbit the sun along the same plane. This plane is actually called The Ecliptic.
When the solar system formed 4.5 billion years ago, it evolved out of a flat disc of dust and gas. As a result, most of the objects in the solar system lie along the plane of that old disc. There are some exceptions.
Here is a diagram which shows how the planets lie along this plane. There is some deviation but on the whole, the planets are more or less aligned with the sun's equator.
But you have noticed something quite fundamental to the Solar System, all of the planets and most of the moons and asteroids all orbit the sun along the same plane. This plane is actually called The Ecliptic.
When the solar system formed 4.5 billion years ago, it evolved out of a flat disc of dust and gas. As a result, most of the objects in the solar system lie along the plane of that old disc. There are some exceptions.
Here is a diagram which shows how the planets lie along this plane. There is some deviation but on the whole, the planets are more or less aligned with the sun's equator.
Eric Mc said:
Some may very well be "behind you".
But you have noticed something quite fundamental to the Solar System, all of the planets and most of the moons and asteroids all orbit the sun along the same plane. This plane is actually called The Ecliptic.
When the solar system formed 4.5 billion years ago, it evolved out of a flat disc of dust and gas. As a result, most of the objects in the solar system lie along the plane of that old disc. There are some exceptions.
Here is a diagram which shows how the planets lie along this plane. There is some deviation but on the whole, the planets are more or less aligned with the sun's equator.
I had to look up what 'Bennu' is - fascinating!But you have noticed something quite fundamental to the Solar System, all of the planets and most of the moons and asteroids all orbit the sun along the same plane. This plane is actually called The Ecliptic.
When the solar system formed 4.5 billion years ago, it evolved out of a flat disc of dust and gas. As a result, most of the objects in the solar system lie along the plane of that old disc. There are some exceptions.
Here is a diagram which shows how the planets lie along this plane. There is some deviation but on the whole, the planets are more or less aligned with the sun's equator.
Amazing that we've been able to get a probe to track it, photograph it, and try and land on it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/101955_Bennu
RSTurboPaul said:
It's still a planet, it's just been granted the adjective "dwarf" as a badge of honour.Thanks for the replies all.
Fully understand the same plane thing - thank you.
Think what surprised me was how close they all were. If I held my phone at arm’s length I had to move the screen 3-4 feet to capture all the planets.
Let’s just say I was covering 10 degrees. There was another 350 degrees of the plane that none of the planets were in?!
Eric’s picture above shows that they could look close together from our perspective but be very far apart (understatement I know!) but as I say why were they all in “that direction”? How comes none were orbiting behind us? Particularly given most planets are farther out than us.
Fully understand the same plane thing - thank you.
Think what surprised me was how close they all were. If I held my phone at arm’s length I had to move the screen 3-4 feet to capture all the planets.
Let’s just say I was covering 10 degrees. There was another 350 degrees of the plane that none of the planets were in?!
Eric’s picture above shows that they could look close together from our perspective but be very far apart (understatement I know!) but as I say why were they all in “that direction”? How comes none were orbiting behind us? Particularly given most planets are farther out than us.
Sorry just re-read my OP and it wasn’t very clear.
Further to my last reply let’s just say I was standing up and the plane of the planets was perpendicular to me (so a horizontal disc as such). Using a clock face to make the point how comes all the planets were between 12 and 1 (say) and none 2 o’clock, 3 o’clock up to 11 o’clock?
Further to my last reply let’s just say I was standing up and the plane of the planets was perpendicular to me (so a horizontal disc as such). Using a clock face to make the point how comes all the planets were between 12 and 1 (say) and none 2 o’clock, 3 o’clock up to 11 o’clock?
There will be occasions where all the planets are lined up in such a way that they are visible in the night sky, although only Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are actually visible to the naked eye. Uranus and Neptune were discovered by telescopic observations (1781 and 1841 respectively).
There will be occasions when the planets further from the sun than earth (Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune) are "behind us". Don't forget that the earth rotates on its axis so even though a planet may be behind you, within any 24 hour period, the earth will rotate so you may get to see that planet that was "behind" you later on if you are willing to hang around long enough. What will perhaps prevent you seeing a planet is the fact that it may be above your local horizon during daylight hours. So, technically you could see it if only it wasn't for the sky being so bright.
There will be occasions when the planets further from the sun than earth (Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune) are "behind us". Don't forget that the earth rotates on its axis so even though a planet may be behind you, within any 24 hour period, the earth will rotate so you may get to see that planet that was "behind" you later on if you are willing to hang around long enough. What will perhaps prevent you seeing a planet is the fact that it may be above your local horizon during daylight hours. So, technically you could see it if only it wasn't for the sky being so bright.
Ratios of planetary orbital periods fall close to the Fibonacci series so are approximately Golden in ratio, hence synodic conjunctions happen (almost) as infrequently as possible - http://www.pattern-recogn-phys.net/1/185/2013/prp-...
RSTurboPaul said:
Eric Mc said:
Some may very well be "behind you".
But you have noticed something quite fundamental to the Solar System, all of the planets and most of the moons and asteroids all orbit the sun along the same plane. This plane is actually called The Ecliptic.
When the solar system formed 4.5 billion years ago, it evolved out of a flat disc of dust and gas. As a result, most of the objects in the solar system lie along the plane of that old disc. There are some exceptions.
Here is a diagram which shows how the planets lie along this plane. There is some deviation but on the whole, the planets are more or less aligned with the sun's equator.
I had to look up what 'Bennu' is - fascinating!But you have noticed something quite fundamental to the Solar System, all of the planets and most of the moons and asteroids all orbit the sun along the same plane. This plane is actually called The Ecliptic.
When the solar system formed 4.5 billion years ago, it evolved out of a flat disc of dust and gas. As a result, most of the objects in the solar system lie along the plane of that old disc. There are some exceptions.
Here is a diagram which shows how the planets lie along this plane. There is some deviation but on the whole, the planets are more or less aligned with the sun's equator.
Amazing that we've been able to get a probe to track it, photograph it, and try and land on it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/101955_Bennu
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