this post was submitted on 22 Jul 2023
66 points (97.1% liked)

Space

8790 readers
56 users here now

Share & discuss informative content on: Astrophysics, Cosmology, Space Exploration, Planetary Science and Astrobiology.


Rules

  1. Be respectful and inclusive.
  2. No harassment, hate speech, or trolling.
  3. Engage in constructive discussions.
  4. Share relevant content.
  5. Follow guidelines and moderators' instructions.
  6. Use appropriate language and tone.
  7. Report violations.
  8. Foster a continuous learning environment.

Picture of the Day

The Busy Center of the Lagoon Nebula


Related Communities

πŸ”­ Science

πŸš€ Engineering

🌌 Art and Photography


Other Cool Links

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
top 6 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] stevedidWHAT 7 points 1 year ago

So basically Planet X: 2024 is what you’re saying 🧐

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

And now we have plotlines for another few hundred Doctor Who episodes!

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Imagine that happening to our planet. How terrifying.

[–] svdasein 2 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Does anyone have an idea if this is anywhere near the mass needed to account for "dark matter"? It sounds like something that (if true) would at least change the math a bit... ?

[–] very_well_lost 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Does anyone have an idea if this is anywhere near the mass needed to account for "dark matter"?

It's not, unfortunately. In the context of dark matter, objects like this are referred to as "MACHOs" (or Massive Compact Halo Objects). These have been considered as a possible solution to the dark matter problem for decades, but sky surveys have failed to find them in sufficient numbers to account for even a fraction of the missing mass.

Another important consideration is where these object are in the galaxy. We know that dark matter mostly exists in an extended shell (usually referred to as a halo β€” hence the H in MACHO) that surrounds the galaxy, rather than being embedded inside it. Rogue planets are expected to be intermixed with the rest of the "light matter" in the galaxy, rather than distributed in this extended halo region.

[–] ooli 2 points 1 year ago

my first idea too! chatGPT refuse to consider that rogue planets can be dark matter, so it wont give me the amount of rogue planets we need to account for dark matter gravity