Celestial body that orbits following an elliptical path around a star or stellar remnant.
13
votes
3answers
119 views
How are newly discovered objects (stars, planets, galaxies…) named?
When a new astronomical object (star, planet, galaxy, comet, etc.) is discovered, what is the official procedure to name it? Who decides about the name of it? Can they be changed in time?
Extra ...
9
votes
2answers
66 views
What are the prerequisites for considering any other planet to be habitable?
Well, there is a measure of how a planet could be considered like Earth, called Planetary habitability. Based on this measure, what are the prerequisites needed to consider a planet to be a habitable ...
13
votes
9answers
3k views
Why are orbits elliptical?
Almost all of the orbits of planets and other celestial bodies are elliptical, not circular.
Is this due to gravitational pull by other nearby massive bodies?
If this was the case a two body system ...
15
votes
3answers
417 views
Why is Uranus's axis of rotation tilted?
The poles of Uranus are 'in the wrong place', why is this?
historically, do we have any evidence of its past?
also, do we have an understanding of how its rotational axis might be evolving?
14
votes
3answers
217 views
Why don't more rocky planets/moons have appreciable atmospheres?
It seems obvious why mercury has no atmosphere, given its proximity to the sun--but yet Venus is also fairly close, and has an extremely dense atmosphere. Titan is a large moon with an atmosphere ...
12
votes
7answers
724 views
What is the current status of Pluto?
Pluto has been designated a planet in our solar system for years (ever since it was discovered in the last century), but a couple of years ago it was demoted.
What caused this decision? And is there ...
8
votes
1answer
497 views
For observing planets what kind of telescope offers the best view?
I've heard that using a refractor is better than a reflector when it comes to planets to best reproduce their colors. But perhaps other factors can weight in too? For example, do you want a slow or ...
19
votes
1answer
682 views
What nonlinear deformations will a fast rotating planet exhibit?
It is common knowledge among the educated that the Earth is not exactly spherical, and some of this comes from tidal forces and inhomogeneities but some of it comes from the rotation of the planet ...
1
vote
2answers
184 views
Solar System Capture of Orphan Planets
NASA recently announced (http://www.nasa.gov/topics/universe/features/planet20110518.html) that orphan planets, planets no longer orbiting a star, may be more numerous than the stars in our galaxy. ...
2
votes
1answer
335 views
Metallic Hydrogen and Gaseous Planets
Jupiter has about twice the density of Saturn (1.33 versus 0.69 g/cm^3) because it apparently has a higher mass percentage of rocky core and of metallic hydrogen in its interior. Available density ...
5
votes
1answer
229 views
Determining Average Tidal Effects
Maximum tidal heights vary widely across the globe, from 16 m in the Bay of Fundy to mere centimeters elsewhere. These variations are due to coastline and shoreline differences. This makes it ...
2
votes
2answers
186 views
14
votes
5answers
1k views
Why does the moon face earth with the same side?
I know this is an astronomy question, but no such stackexchange site exists. So here I am, asking about the physics of the solar system.
I know that the rotation period of the moon equals its ...
18
votes
4answers
2k views
Would you be weightless at the center of the Earth?
If you could travel to the center of the Earth (or any planet), would you be weightless there?
