A new study proposes a novel 'kiss and capture' mechanism for the formation of Pluto and its largest moon Charon, challenging the existing theory of a violent impact.
Eons ago, in the frigid depths of our solar system, a dramatic collision occurred between two icy worlds. Rather than a catastrophic smash-up, the two bodies “kissed,” merging temporarily like a “celestial snowman” before gently separating. However, these bodies became forever linked in orbit – thanks to gravity. This “kiss and capture” mechanism offers a fresh perspective on planetary formation, particularly about Pluto and its largest moon Charon .
Scientists have long believed that Charon formed through a violent impact, similar to Earth’s moon. However, this new study challenges the existing theory. “Most planetary collision scenarios are classified as ‘hit and run’ or ‘graze and merge.’ What we’ve discovered is something entirely different – a ‘kiss and capture’ scenario where the bodies collide, stick together briefly and then separate while remaining gravitationally bound,” said Adeene Denton, the lead author and a NASA postdoctoral fellow University of Arizona. The study suggests that the existing model for the formation of Earth’s moon doesn’t perfectly apply to Pluto and Charon. Pluto and Charon are smaller and colder. These are composed of rock and ice, which have greater structural integrity than the fluid-like materials involved in the Earth-moon formation.“Pluto and Charon are different – they’re smaller, colder, and made primarily of rock and ice. When we accounted for the actual strength of these materials, we discovered something completely unexpected,” said Denton.Rather than stretching and deforming like fluid, Pluto and the proto-Charon (the early stage of Charon) temporarily merged, forming a single, rotating object resembling a snowman. This “sticking together” phase is a crucial aspect of the new “kiss and capture” formation scenario. After this temporary merger, the two bodies separated but remained gravitationally bound, forming a binary system. A binary system forms when two celestial bodies orbit around a shared center of mas
PLANETARYFORMATION PLUTO CHARON BINARYSYSTEM COLLISION
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