MadSci Network: Astronomy |
Or..why don't the planets orbit the sun in the same plane as the sun orbits the galactic center? I have been searching for the answer to this question ever since my then 10 year old son asked it about 2 years ago while stargazing from a dark site. Imagine my surprise when I found your site and a previous question which was very similar to my son's! The answer to question #902372110.as left me a little confused though! The writer suggested that the angular momentum of the stars was related to the original cloud that collapsed to form them and not the galaxy angular momentum. Reviewing the information found at www.bc.cc.ca.us/programs/sea/astronomy/book.htm on angulat momentum did not help me understand the answer. As I understand the answer to 902372110.as, if the stars orbit is not related to the galaxy spin, then I would expect the stars to orbit the galaxy at a multitude of random orbits and no disk to form. I guess an easier way to say it is the original answer does not answer the question of what causes the original angular momentum of the original cloud? And more likley the original answer answers my question but i don't understand it!
Re: Why isn't the ecliptic in the same plane as the Milky Way galactic disk?
Try the links in the MadSci Library for more information on Astronomy.