Rogue Planets, or not

[John Dlugosz]

Models of solar system formation, based on current observations of exoplanets, is that we started off with maybe a hundred planets. They moved around, got ejected or fell into the sun.

So, dozens of planet-sized bodies got thrown out of the system -- several times the number that stabolized. Where did they go? "out there". But if all the other stars do the same thing, there would be as many coming as going.

I'm thinking that even if thrown out at escape velocity, there would be drag as it passed through other systems, and eventually it would hang out in an Oort cloud. Assuming such clouds basically reach to where the star stops dominating space, an object that started out between systems outside of the Oort radius of any star would be chaotic and fall toward one of them eventually. It would experience drag from the cloud, and eventually would not leave again after falling toward one.

So, I speculate that there are many planet-sized bodies out there. Pluto is certainly not the last largest!

[George]

Models of solar system formation, based on current observations of exoplanets, is that we started off with maybe a hundred planets. They moved around, got ejected or fell into the sun.

I have not seen that model. Is it available on the web?

So, dozens of planet-sized bodies got thrown out of the system -- several times the number that stabolized. Where did they go? "out there". But if all the other stars do the same thing, there would be as many coming as going.

This is even more true of comets. These objects would, likely, enter our system at a higher than normal inclination angle, and they would be, likely, faster than normal comets. However, no such comet has ever been recorded, AFAIK.

I am not convinced many "planets" could be hurled beyond our system, however. The large planets tend to eject material to the Kuiper or Oort regions, I think, with only some ejection beyond our system. GMC's aren't strong enough to drag-off much, I believe. Stars passing by do have greater ability to perturb material out there.

So, I speculate that there are many planet-sized bodies out there. Pluto is certainly not the last largest!

Time will tell.

[Jorge]

wouldn't me have atlease ween a hit of them?
star that sudenly get very very dim or disabear if an object passes infront of it? if there are soe many then this had to have happend right?