• Question: is it possible for pluto to get in line with the other planets

    Asked by to Fiona, Kevin on 27 Jun 2014. This question was also asked by .
    • Photo: Kevin O'Dell

      Kevin O'Dell answered on 27 Jun 2014:

      You’re quite right. Pluto does have a very bizarre orbit. It’s also a bit odd in that it has a moon, Charon, that is about half its size.

      I think I’m right in saying that the orbits of Neptune (the big planet that Pluto crosses) and Pluto are very stable and have a well defined pattern. So to have a normal orbit the Pluto/Neptune pattern would be disrupted, so at some point they’d collide.

      But I’m willing to be corrected on this!

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