'Earth in danger': 131 nearby stars could send chaos hurtling into our solar system
Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
Interstellar Visitors
Oumuamua in 2017 and Comet 2I/Borisov in 2019 marked the first confirmed interstellar objects (ISOs) visiting our Solar System, hinting at a hidden cosmic phenomenon.
Phase Space
Our Solar System’s complex phase space—defined by position and momentum—contains weak and permanent capture points where ISOs or rogue planets can be gravitationally bound to the Sun.
Weak Capture
Weak capture occurs when objects are temporarily pulled into semi-stable orbits. These gravitational nudges can evolve into permanent orbits under the right conditions.
Permanent Capture
Permanent capture locks an ISO into our Solar System indefinitely. These objects never collide with the Sun but move chaotically within its gravitational influence.
Chaotic Orbits
A rogue planet in permanent weak capture could perturb planetary orbits, potentially reshaping the Solar System’s delicate balance over time.
Rogue Planets
Researchers believe rogue planets, formed by gravitational ejections during early solar system evolution, may outnumber stars and frequently drift through interstellar space.
Close Encounters
Every million years, two stars pass within a few light-years of Earth. In the next 50,000 years, six such encounters may dislodge Oort Cloud objects, sending them toward the inner Solar System.
Representative pic
Galactic Gateways
Openings in the Sun’s Hill sphere, located 3.81 light-years away, act as gravitational gateways, allowing ISOs and rogue planets to enter the Solar System and potentially remain.
Representative pic
Future Discoveries
The Vera Rubin Observatory is expected to identify more ISOs and rogue planets, helping researchers understand their distribution and potential impact on our cosmic neighborhood.
Credit: Vera Rubin Observatory