• Blue_Morpho@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    5
    ·
    2 days ago

    All planets have elliptical orbits just like periodic comets. Comets’ elliptic is just more extreme.

    Mercury, Mars and Venus have tails, they just aren’t as visible.

    • LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      edit-2
      2 days ago

      While I understand they are all elliptical, isn’t that the reason they moved Pluto to a dwarf planet, because it’s orbit was “to elliptical” and crossing Neptune’s orbital path?

      • Björn@swg-empire.de
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        2 days ago

        Its orbit is also at a considerable angle relative to the plane all other planets orbit in. That alone made me question it’s planet-ness long before it got demoted. And I felt really validated when Jim Carrey’s kids in Me, Myself and Irene argued about Pluto being a planet or not.