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Binary Exchange Capture

All articles tagged with #binary exchange capture

science1 year ago

New Theory Challenges Popular Moon Origin Belief

A new theory proposed by researchers from Penn State University challenges the long-held belief that the Moon was formed from a collision between Earth and a protoplanet named Theia. Instead, the study suggests the Moon may have been captured by Earth through a process called binary-exchange capture, where it was part of a pair of rocky bodies orbiting each other. This theory could explain the Moon's tilted orbit and its chemical similarities to Earth, offering an alternative to the traditional collision theory.

science1 year ago

New Theory Challenges Traditional Moon Origin Story

A new theory proposed by Penn State researchers suggests that Earth's Moon may have been captured from space through a process called binary-exchange capture, rather than forming from debris after a collision with a Mars-sized object. This theory could explain certain chemical signatures in Moon rocks and its orbital alignment, which are not fully accounted for by the traditional collision theory. The study indicates that Earth could have captured the Moon from a binary pair of objects, with tidal forces eventually stabilizing its orbit.