Why does the planet Venus rotate in the opposite direction than most other planets in the solar system?
In: Physics
We believe it had suffered a massive impact with a Mars sized object which was so devastating, at the right angle, and with enough energy, that it reversed it’s rotation. During the formation of the solar system, we were a cloud of dust and gas. Over time, gravity caused that dust to clump together. This doesn’t happen in a straight line, but along a curve in space. As the cloud condensed, that curve became more apparent. Gravity tugs on all, causing everything to fall in and along the same plane. This angular momentum normalizes, and the cloud of dust flattens out to an accretion disk. It’s why all the planets orbit in the same direction, too. Over enough time, Venus’s orbit will halt, and slowly start rotating back in the right direction. I don’t know if the sun will explode or not by then…
Latest Answers