Stellar encounters as the origin of distant Solar System objects (from ATSNN), page 1

Nature reports that its possible that objects like the recently discovered planetoid "Sedna" are consistent with having been brought to their current odd orbits by the gravitational effects of another star passing 'nearby' (in astronomical terms) the Sol System, very early in its formative period.

www.nature.com
Here we show that a passing star probably scattered Sedna from the Kuiper belt into its observed orbit. [...] Even more interesting is the 10 per cent chance that Sedna was captured from the outer disk of the passing star.
[...]
A chance encounter between the Sun and another star is a more plausible explanation for the orbit of Sedna. Previous numerical simulations show that a fly-by of a solar-type star[...] scatters objects [or can] lifts objects from Neptune-crossing orbits into Sedna-like orbits, leaving the rest of the Kuiper belt relatively unchanged. Although other mechanisms for truncating the Kuiper belt are possible, they are inconsistent with the apparent formation of [things like sedna]. Here we improve on previous fly-by calculations[...]
[...]
The discovery of Sedna also prompted us to consider an exciting new possibility: captures from the Kuiper belt of the passing star

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.

Well, the velikovskyists should be happy.

Actually, they should not. Vel beleived that, famously, planets (and presumably stars) were in collision. And that these collisions, importantly, occured while humans existed, and had been deeply embeded in their indiviual and collective pysches. The result were the 'astrological' myths of ancient greece and rome and other cultures. Such that, when the Romans said Jupiter hurled thunderbolts, they we literally recalling a time when the Planet Jupiter got really close to Earth, such that static electrical charges built up and were discharged, from Jupiter to Earth.

This model and refinement is considering something that may have occured when the solar system itself was a still assembling 'proto-planetary' disk. I'm surprised the velikosky supporters and Planet-Xers haven't posted this already.

Related News Links:
The Original Paper on Fly-bys
The Full Paper in Nature (subsciption required0

Related AboveTopSecret.com Discussion Threads:
Sedna: The Extrasolar Object
Sedna and Planet X
Poll-Planet "X"

[edit on 9-12-2004 by Nygdan]