Planet Once Between Mars and Jupiter?

[Dreadnought]

I heard on the Science Channel that some scientists think there was a planet between Mars and Jupiter, but the gravity between Jupiter and the Sun was so great the planet was torn apart, thus forming the astroid belt.

Do you think this is true?

 

[Ultima Dragoon]

Meh, It's a theory.

It's more likely that a superhuge piece of space junk (asteroid, meteor, etc)
hit the once-there palent and destroyed it.

The pull between Jupiter and the sun wouldn't have much of an effect on the planet; Jupiter wouldn't have nearly the mass to compete with the gravity of the sun. It would have stayed in it's orbit around the sun, but it would have been affected by tidal pulls caused by Jupiter.

 

[Perfection]

BS. Jupiter's gravity isn't strong enough to tear apart a planet that isn't a within a few thousand miles of the surface.

I have heard that Jupiter's gravity had prevented the matter in that orbital area from coelescing. I'm more inclined to belive that.

 

[Perfection]

It's more likely that a superhuge piece of space junk (asteroid, meteor, etc)
hit the once-there palent and destroyed it.

I doubt it. Most models of planetary collisions result in reformation of most of the debris into a planet. I am much more inclined to believe it to be leftovers from planetary formation.

 

[Ultima Dragoon]

I was saying that It was more likely to be hit by something huge than it be pulled apart by Jupiter's gravity.

It probably would be something like Jupiter's Gravity stopping the formation of a planetery body.

 

[Meleager]

I have heard that Jupiter's gravity had prevented the matter in that orbital area from coelescing. I'm more inclined to belive that.

I agree.

The other atlernative would be collisions between young planets.

 

[Ultima Dragoon]

Ahh... So that's the "huge object"...Hmmm, yes, two young planets colliding...
Excuse me, I need to do some equations on my chalkbord.

 

[Perfection]

The other atlernative would be collisions between young planets.

Young planets would likely still lead to large debris. The largest hunk of Debris out there (by far) is Ceres, which is around 1% the mass of the moon. That might have something to do with planetesimal collisions but I highly doubt large scale collisions account for the lack of a large object.

Just to demonstrate the effect of Jupiter on the orbits of asteroids...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirkwood_gap

 

[Ultima Dragoon]

I don't understand the Histogram.

Are the spikes or the valleys the impact of Jupiter?

 

[Perfection]

The valleys are. These are locations with very few asteriods do to the actions of jupiter.

 

[Chieftess]

I think it was probably a planet once, that probably got smashed by a wayward planet. It would be interesting to piece together the planet (probably possible in 5,000 years or so) from the asteroids.

 

[Gogf]

Well, Perf, as you said you're more inclined to believe that Jupiter's gravity kept a planet from forming there. It's therefore possible that there was some sort of collision, and Jupiter kept the debris from reforming into a planet.

However, I still think that this is just left-over planet building material.

 

[Perfection]

I think it was probably a planet once, that probably got smashed by a wayward planet. It would be interesting to piece together the planet (probably possible in 5,000 years or so) from the asteroids.

Even if they were caused by the breakup of planet (which would be against the mainstream view) it'd be impossible to piece together the planet. The total mass of the asteroid belt is about 4% of the Moon's. So, the debris from the planet must've been scattered accross the solar system (and possibly beyond) becoming moons, and smashing into planets and moons.

 

[Gogf]

Even if they were caused by the breakup of planet (which would be against the mainstream view) it'd be impossible to piece together the planet. The total mass of the asteroid belt is about 4% of the Moon's. So, the debris from the planet must've been scattered accross the solar system (and possibly beyond) becoming moons, and smashing into planets and moons.

Hm... That also disproves the theory of Jupiter preventing it from reforming into a planet as well.

 

[Maniacal]

Actualy, you are all wrong.
It was one of Babe Ruth's missing baseballs that went so fast it went back in time and destroyed the planet.

 

[Perfection]

Hm... That also disproves the theory of Jupiter preventing it from reforming into a planet as well.

I'm not sure if it does. Over a few billion years the debris could've wandered away I suppose.

 

[Ultima Dragoon]

I'm not sure if it does. Over a few billion years the debris could've wandered away I suppose.

Like the ones that "wandered" into planets aeons ago.

Or maybe they wandered out and formed the Oort cloud?

 

[Perfection]

Like the ones that "wandered" into planets aeons ago.

Something like that, though the sheer amount would be incredible. I'm no planetary scientist so I can't tell ya.

Or maybe they wandered out and formed the Oort cloud?

No, the Oort cloud is far more massive then any terrestrial planet, plus the composition of the objects are unlike that of asteroids. Much more ice and methane.

 

[Ultima Dragoon]

Maybe the asteroid belt was formed of Asteroids, space junk and meteors from other solar systems caught in our suns gravity?

 

[Gogf]

Maybe the asteroid belt was formed of Asteroids, space junk and meteors from other solar systems caught in our suns gravity?

Why not space junk from our solar system?