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Astronomy/Can all the planets come in a straight line

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Expert: Jayendra Upadhye - 7/13/2008


Question
Sir,
I have been thinking over this for a little while and now i want your assistance.
I want to know that can all the planets come into a single line even for a fraction of seconds in anytime in future.
How can we prove it?& Maximum how many planets can come into the formation?

Answer
Hi,
Most planets have orbits that are NOT EXACTLY coplanar.
So their "falling" absolutely in line with each other is spurious at best.

For the same reason, the second question also has the same answer.
The mathematical probability of this happening has been calculated as once every 180 trillion years!

regards
jayen

Astronomy

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Jayendra Upadhye

Expertise

1 - General questions on most astronomy topics such as:- Solar system, Cosmology, Black holes, Quasars, Dark matter etc. 2 - General questions about the geologies of planets. 3 - General questions about Orbits and laws governing them. 4 - General questions about rockets / spaceships 5 - General questions about stellar interiors and supernovas.

Experience

I was an askme.com expert rated no#1 for quite some time - and was top ten there by the time it closed - in Astronomy and general science categories.

Education/Credentials
Bachelor of Engg. (Electrical engg), Maharaja Sayajirao university of Baroda, Gujarat, India.

Awards and Honors
None to write about except the askme rating if it is any worth!

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