Strange system or bug?

ajtribick · Post #1by **ajtribick** » 26.09.2003, 20:35

I was messing around in star browser on the "with planets" option and came across a system in which the two planets' orbits appeared to cross each other.

As far as I could tell it was not a perspective effect. Unfortunately Celestia crashed five seconds later and I couldn't remember the system name, except that it may have been HD followed by something with a 6 in it (although my memory isn't that reliable with long numbers...)

I have not been able to find the system again. I do not have any solar-system add-ons except for the black hole at 61 Cyg A, minor moons of Sol's gas giants, and Jupiter/Neptune rings.

Is this an actual system or did I experience a glitch?

JackHiggins · Post #2by **JackHiggins** » 26.09.2003, 20:57

I've seen this before too actually- couldn't tell you the star name though... I'd say it's probably an error in the ssc- no system could really have planets with orbits physically crossing each other...

I'd be more worried about the crash 5 seconds later...?!!

TERRIER · Post #3by **TERRIER** » 26.09.2003, 22:15

HD 160691 !!!

Post #4by **granthutchison** » 26.09.2003, 23:04

The orbits can cross if there's a resonance that stops the planets ever being in the same place at the same time. If you follow the InfoURL for planet b or c in this system it takes you to the Extrasolar Planets Encyclopaedia entry at http://www.obspm.fr/encycl/HD160691.html, where you can find some links to references discussing the possible dynamics of such a system.

Grant

ElPelado · Post #5by **ElPelado** » 27.09.2003, 01:17

I tryed it. i past the year 2100 and they never "crashed". they were very close and there were lots of transits, but never crashed.

Ynjevi · Post #6by **Ynjevi** » 27.09.2003, 09:29

As long as we have no real evidence how the planets are inclined, there's a possibility that they don't cross each other's orbit at all (like Neptune/Pluto).

ajtribick · Post #7by **ajtribick** » 27.09.2003, 20:09

Thanks. I only remembered something about HD and so checked only the stars without proper names when I was trying to relocate the system...

Only to find it was Mu Arae. Heh heh.

As to the crash five seconds later... it has happened before in similar circumstances. Celestia apparently does not like it if you leave a dialog open and start dragging the view around.

Maybe I should submit that as a bug report...