Accelerated movement of celestial bodies

[too-open-minded]

Is there any physically hypothetical way that a massive object like the sun or a planet be moved out of its normal environments trajectory.

[Ophiolite]

Subject it to the gravitational attraction of a large body.

[Greg H.]

As Ophiolite said, yes, it is theoretically possible - if you subject it to a massive enough gravitational field, you can move a celestial object.

 

Practically, it does happen when galaxies collide - as the stars of the two galaxies intermingle, they rearrange themselves according to the shifting gravity.

 

To wit:

 

It is thought that when two large spirals collide the end result is an elliptical, and that interactions with small galaxies are actually what make the spiral patterns in large spiral galaxies. It is becoming the idea that the morphology of a galaxy changes a lot over its lifetime as it interacts with other galaxies. Note that in galactic collisions stars do not collide.

 

 

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Curious About Astronomy: Ask An Astronomer, Cornell University Astronomy Department. http://curious.astro.cornell.edu/question.php?number=354

[too-open-minded]

Well is there any theoretical way to project a gravitational attraction strong enough to move a celestial body?

 

I'm talking like star treck tractor beam type thing

[Ophiolite]

My knowledge in this area is limited, but I am quite confident that this would be wholly contrary to known physics: i.e. it is impossible.

Edited September 26, 2013 by Ophiolite

[Greg H.]

We do have the technical know how to create a gravitational tractor that can tug small asteroids. As far as a Star Trek kind of tractor beam, I'm going to concur with Ophiolite - we don't know enough about the physics of gravity to even begin building a tractor beam on the scale you're talking about.

 

That said, see Tractor Beam on wikipedia. Scientists are working on the idea..

[too-open-minded]

Okay, thanks everyone! Looks like I have to throw a concept out of my book but oh well it was a minor part with less than 5,000 words of material anyways.

[too-open-minded]

What is this about negative energy and lightspeed travel from the alcubierre warp drive theory? If theoretically possible to project a field of negative energy, could a celestial body be moved?

[swansont]

!

Moderator Note

Fixed the title spelling because it was really bugging me

[Greg H.]

What is this about negative energy and lightspeed travel from the alcubierre warp drive theory? If theoretically possible to project a field of negative energy, could a celestial body be moved?

 

If you're looking at fiction, you could give a read to Larry Niven's Pierson's Puppeteers, and their Fleet of Worlds.

[Airbrush]

A hypervelocity neutron star or black hole can pull our Sun and disrupt our entire solar system. Let's hope we never see one coming this way.

Edited October 10, 2013 by Airbrush

[Enthalpy]

Any heavy object passing too near would disrupt the Solar system. A speedy object less so.

[too-open-minded]

My friend tried to explain to me the aclubierre warp drive theory. I'm guessing he didn't explain it right or I misunderstood it. From what I understood he said that if we can find a way to project a negative energy field we can theoretically reach speeds faster than light and we don't need a propulsion method. I understand this is off topic from my thread but I'm trying to find a legitimate way to implement something in my book.

 

If what I was told is true then, by theory could you emit a negative energy field over a celestial body and move it?

[Archimedes]

My friend tried to explain to me the aclubierre warp drive theory. I'm guessing he didn't explain it right or I misunderstood it. From what I understood he said that if we can find a way to project a negative energy field we can theoretically reach speeds faster than light and we don't need a propulsion method...

 

...If what I was told is true then, by theory could you emit a negative energy field over a celestial body and move it?

The Alcunierre Drive, which has been discussed many times on the forums, is a speculative idea that uses exotic matter to form a sort of bubble around the ship, which warps space-time around the ship. The ship is not moving faster than light; it is space which is "moving," due to the contraction of space in front of you and the expansion of space behind you.

 

Now, to put this thread back on topic... if it could be use to move a celestial body? Well, you need to consider the massive quantities of energy it would take to move a small ship, say the size of a football stadium. In order to move a celestial body with it... It seems like it would be nearly, of not, impossible.

 

Source: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcubierre_drive

 

-Arch