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A planet in a stable orbit can only receive a finite maximum power from it's star and likewise can only generate a finite energy from internal heat (like our cooling core, which is a tiny power output … So there must be a finite limit to the temperature any planet in a stable orbit can reach. As @Cody indicated the actual point of maximum temperature may not be at periapsis. …

that predicted by known bodies, it seems very unlikely with the even more precise and powerful calculations available today that we've missed a large body of any kind in that region, let alone a whole planet … I personally consider it artificial and any decision of that sort that can demote a body the size of Pluto from planet to dwarf-planet is one I can only view with derision. …

Can the release of gravitational energy during planet formation in principle (is there enough) explain this much heat Planets in general can have internal heat sources (like radioactive breakdown …

You can intuitively visualize the effect in such a system by noting that typically to a good approximation the planet-moon system will orbit the star at a considerably larger distance than the planet-moon … The planet and moon themselves orbit around their center of mass. …

A rogue planet could be any mass from Pluto to 10 Jupiter masses - quite different gravitationally. And exactly what it's trajectory was makes a huge difference. …

Light (in general relativity) follows paths in spacetime dictated by the curvature of spacetime. That curvature is a result of gravitational distortion of spacetime by energy (and this includes mass …

It was essentially the orbit (not very elliptical) which seems to have been the main reason for identifying it as a planet. That and the apparent lack of a tail. … It required advances in observational accuracy and mathematical analysis of the observations to work out the orbit to work out it was a planet. …

Why does the comets are able to cross the planets orbit without touching the planet Why not they get attracted by the planets when they are in their orbit. … The Sun's the big force and you need to be much closer to a planet to be significantly affected by its gravitational attraction compared to the Sun's. …

Normally three planets would not line up along a simple line like that. Planets have orbits with different inclinations, so at best they'd be in the same plane. Working that out requires a detailed …

Pluto was found when looking for an entirely different object ( coincidentally about the same mass as the new planet X, if memory serves me ). … I think this planet X 2.0 claim needs a colder and more objective, perhaps even cynical, examination, away from the media. …

We can't detect whether there are or are not objects of similar "small" sizes orbiting other stars. We simply lack that level of ability. From a scientific point of view I'd simply say "don't know". …

Quakes and other large scale geological activity ( and indeed running water ! ) cause no end of trouble for mining operations. Much better to be able to sit on a nice quiet rock in space without all …