Earth-like and Venus-like planets collide. Could it happen to us?

William Atkins
Wednesday, 24 September 2008 19:34

Science - Space

Right now, astronomers are not exactly sure if two stable planets in a mature solar system could become destabilized and collide into one another.

So, until we know more about these two former-planets and what exactly happened to them, keep your eye out for Venus! If it keeps getting bigger in the night sky, head for shelter!

Actually, Dr. Henry gives a little more positive answer to the question.

Henry stated, based on computer models of planetary motions of Mercury, Venus, and the Earth, that there is a “small probability for collisions of Mercury with Earth or Venus sometime in the next billion years or more.” [AFP: "US astronomers discover inter-planetary collision”]

However, Zuckerman added that collisions have occurred within our solar system.

In fact, he stated, "Many astronomers believe our moon was formed from the grazing collision of two planetary embryos, the young Earth and a body about the size of Mars, a crash that created tremendous debris, some of which condensed to form the moon and some of which went into orbit around the young sun.” [AFP]

Michael Muno, an astronomer from the California Institute of Technology, also participated in the study of the star BD+20°307 when they unexpectedly found evidence for the planetary collision.

The three astronomers were using x-ray data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory and brightness data from a telescope in southern Arizona (operated by Tennessee State University) to measure the age of the star. They unexpectedly found the excess debris circling the star system from the planetary collision.