posted on May, 28 2004 @ 06:33 AM
In order for any planet or moon to change orbit, a large chunck from it has to be ejected and the planet or moon would move in the opposite direction
the chunck, which was ejected, takes. But it will only change to a different orbit.
An object with enough mass to knock the moon or any planet form their present orbit would actually either break the planet/moon or would totally
destroy it. If I remember correctly, only a new gravitational force entering the solar system, greater than the one which keeps the object in its
orbit, would be able to change the planet/moon's orbit relative to the sun and not destroy or greatly damage the moon/planet (what would happen to
what's in the planet its different...)
It would have to be something massive. I remember doing a paper on this for college about two years ago.
[Edited on 28-5-2004 by Muaddib]