[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: Astroid Belt

Hi Dona,

The way I view it, and there are a number of theories which I have read about, 
is that the planets as they are now are the survivors of countless collisions 
in the solar system. At first there were mostly dust and gases as our system 
formed. It really isn't known at this time but for some reason maybe due to 
positive negative attraction or perhaps hi velocity collisions of this dust 
that they began to clump together. There were no doubt many clumps of material 
and sooner or later they would collide and become part of an even larger clump.

All this took place and continued until the sun started to burn and then the 
solar wind blew off much of the remaining dust and gases. The objects left no 
doubt continued to collide and so the planets as they are, absorbed debris in 
orbits that were crossing paths with them. They are sort of the winners of all 
this debris collecting or sweepers. 

The asteroid belt as a couple of other posts mentioned, never formed a planet 
because the great gravity of Jupiter wouldn't permit it. That's why we have 
this missing planet. The asteroid belt is more or less various layers where 
some areas have remains of the formation (asteroids). The areas in between are 
debris free or if an object should end up in the debris free area will be 
thrown out because of a common ratio of Jupiter orbit.  (Kirkwood gap) sp?

The closer to the sun the forming material got the more altered or cooked it 
became. Material that was out the farthest was the least altered. Of course 
there are other forces and dynamics that can alter material also like decay.

I think that Saturn's rings, and perhaps that of Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune 
are there because a moon or moonlet simply got too close and was tore up from 
gravitational forces. It would be possible for meteoroids and even asteroids to 
become captured moons, as it is thought that the moons of Mars are.

I doubt though that the rings are remnant of the formation of our system, 
except a few renegade pieces. The study of this unaltered material in our solar 
system (meteoritics) is what is so very fascinating. The clues and history is 
all locked up waiting to be discovered!

--AL