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Mercury all gone? - Question

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    #2
    Spear
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Help & Feedback Category Moderators Posts: 25,271 CMod ✭✭✭✭Spear


    User45701 wrote: »
    http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-sci-mercury4-2008jul04,0,521093.story

    Mercury is shrinking - Full article above.

    After reading it im assuming at some point the planet will lose too much mass and will be pulled too close to the sun by its gravational pull...

    How would the absence of Mercury effect the gravity in our solar system?

    It's not losing the mass, just shrinking.
    Scientists attribute that to the gradual cooling of the planet's core.


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    #3
    User45701
    Registered Users Posts: 6,905 ✭✭✭User45701


    how far can a planet the size of mercury shrink/collapse while still maintaining the same mass/orbit/gravational effects?


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    #4
    Spear
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Help & Feedback Category Moderators Posts: 25,271 CMod ✭✭✭✭Spear


    User45701 wrote: »
    how far can a planet the size of mercury shrink/collapse while still maintaining the same mass/orbit/gravational effects?

    It'll act as a point mass at all times, regardless of size (minor general relativistic effects not withstanding).


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    #5
    MooseJam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,111 ✭✭✭MooseJam


    black hole to be


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    #6
    Spear
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Help & Feedback Category Moderators Posts: 25,271 CMod ✭✭✭✭Spear


    MooseJam wrote: »
    black hole to be

    It doesn't have sufficient mass, electron and neutron degeneracy will stop it long before that.


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