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Chapter 14: Problem 21

Briefly describe the evidence supporting the idea that Triton was captured by Neptune.

Short Answer

Expert verified
Evidence supporting the idea of Triton being captured by Neptune includes: its retrograde and circular orbit; geological activity indicating resurfacing, possibly caused by tidal heating from an eccentric orbit; and similarities in its physical characteristics with Kuiper Belt objects, suggesting that it originated from this region and was later captured by Neptune.

Step by step solution

01

Understand Triton's Orbital Characteristics

Triton, which is the largest of Neptune's moons, has a retrograde orbit. This means it orbits Neptune in a direction opposite to the planet's rotation. This is unusual because most large moons in the solar system orbit in the same direction as their planet rotates. This suggests that Triton did not form in orbit around Neptune but was captured by the planet's gravity.
02

Consider Triton's Geological Activity

Triton is geologically active; its surface shows few craters, and photographs from the Voyager 2 spacecraft show geysers spouting material into space. This indicates that the moon's crust has been resurfaced and renewed, which could be the result of tidal heating caused by a past eccentric orbit around Neptune - a result of its capture.
03

Evaluate the Similarity to Kuiper Belt Objects

Additionally, Triton shares many similarities with objects in the Kuiper Belt—a region of the solar system beyond the orbit of Neptune that contains many small icy bodies. Triton's composition, size, and surface features all suggest it could be a captured Kuiper Belt object.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Compare the rings that surround Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Briefly discuss their similarities and differences.

How can astronomers distinguish a faint solar system object like Pluto from background stars within the same field of view?

(a) Find the semimajor axis of the orbit of an object whose period is \(3 / 2\) of the orbital period of Neptune. How does your result compare to the semimajor axis of Pluto's orbit? (b) A number of Kuiper belt objects called plutinos have been discovered with the same orbital period and hence the same semimajor axis as Pluto. Explain how these objects can avoid colliding with Pluto.

It is thought that Pluto's tenuous atmosphere may become even thinner as the planet moves toward aphelion (which it will reach in 2113), then regain its present density as it again moves toward perihelion. Why should this be?

Search the World Wide Web for a list of trans-Neptunian objects. What are the largest and smallest objects of this sort that have so far been found, and how large are they? Have any objects larger than Eris been found?
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