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How did Uranus get its tilt ?

Space and Astronomy

 Started by UM-Bot , Dec 08 2009 09:54 AM

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#1    UM-Bot

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Posted 08 December 2009 - 09:54 AM

<strong class='bbc'>Image credit: NASA</strong>
Image credit: NASA
Theories as to how the planet Uranus ended up rotating on its side range from a gradual wobble to a cataclysmic collision, but astronomers now think a large moon may have pulled the gas giant 97 degrees to the vertical.

"One of the most enduring mysteries of the Solar System may be a step closer to being solved. Although the general consensus is that Uranus was involved in some kind of cosmic hit-and-run, two researchers from Paris think the gas giant may have gradually wobbled over millions of years, eventually tipping due to the presence of a large moon."

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#2    aot_x

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Posted 08 December 2009 - 02:24 PM

I am not comfortable with this question..... :unsure2:
LMAO!
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#3    Dimension_X

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Posted 08 December 2009 - 02:30 PM

Maybe the moons of Saturn (I think)
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#4    DieChecker

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Posted 08 December 2009 - 03:52 PM

I'm sure someone soon will be posting here about Wandering Planets. I think the collision theory is better. If it was a moon, or planetoid that offset the axis, you would think it would have had to be close for a long time, so it would still be there. I would believe this theory more if there was a large ring around Uranus.
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#5    :PsYKoTiC:BeHAvIoR:

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Posted 08 December 2009 - 04:29 PM

View Postaot_x, on 08 December 2009 - 02:24 PM, said:

I am not comfortable with this question..... :unsure2:
LMAO!

Haha yeah, it's epic.

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#6    odiesbsc

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Posted 08 December 2009 - 08:32 PM

I know how mine got its tilt.  :o  :P  :lol:  :innocent:  :blush:  :w00t:  :devil:
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#7    WoIverine

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Posted 08 December 2009 - 08:47 PM

I think it happened when mercury bent it over the bathroom sink.

Edited by SpiderCyde, 08 December 2009 - 08:47 PM.

#8    Queen in the North

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Posted 08 December 2009 - 08:52 PM

View PostSpiderCyde, on 08 December 2009 - 08:47 PM, said:

I think it happened when mercury bent it over the bathroom sink.
:no: Terrible.
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#9    Colonel Rhuairidh

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Posted 08 December 2009 - 09:01 PM

I thought this wa a a joke, but for the life of me I couldn't think of the punchline.
Well, i could think of a few punchlines, but none that would be suitable.

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#10    danielost

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Posted 08 December 2009 - 09:18 PM

our large moon keeps earth from wobbling.  so how come this much smaller moon incomperison would pull the planet over on it's side.

Edited by danielost, 08 December 2009 - 09:18 PM.

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#11    DieChecker

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Posted 09 December 2009 - 05:10 PM

View Postdanielost, on 08 December 2009 - 09:18 PM, said:

our large moon keeps earth from wobbling.  so how come this much smaller moon incomperison would pull the planet over on it's side.
Maybe if that moon had a Polar Orbit???? I don't think that are any known moons with polar orbits.
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#12    Xammu

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Posted 11 December 2009 - 05:28 AM

Uranus probably just formed that way.  A moon could not be able to pull a planet on it's side, and an impact large enough to topple over a planet 15 times the mass of Earth would throw up enormus amounts of debirs, and Uranus' atmosphere would show very chaotic disturbances that would take billions of years to subside (they would still be clearly visible today, but voyaget images show no such disturbances).

On a side note, I think the astronamy community seriously needs to rename Uranus.  You can't even bring up the topic with out triggering a few snickers.  The guy who discovered Uranus back in 1781 would not be pleased with what it has become today.  Since most of its moons are named after characters from Shakespeares works, the new name should come from there as well.

Edited by Xammu, 11 December 2009 - 05:28 AM.

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#13    Paracelse

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Posted 25 December 2009 - 08:13 AM

According to Egyptian Genesis, the God Ptah was bored, alone on the Eternal Mound, so he played with himself and created the Universe... before the Universe was populated Ptah might invented the first snow ball fight, trowing planets against each other, thus the tilt in Uranus.. and the Earth :P
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#14    glyndowers heir

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Posted 25 December 2009 - 11:26 AM

Quote

How did Uranus get its tilt ?

It's the result of a tragic accident in my early childhood - not something I want to talk about without my therapist being present :cry:

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#15    PsiPup

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Posted 16 January 2010 - 10:37 PM

Of course I had to rehash this one just for the shear fun of it.

Now can we stop talking about Uranus at dinnertime? I don't think it's proper talk! :P
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