Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site utastro.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!akgua!sdcsvax!sdcrdcf!hplabs!hao!seismo!ut-sally!utastro!nather
From: nather@utastro.UUCP (Ed Nather)
Newsgroups: net.astro.expert
Subject: Re: Stability of the 'Nemesis' system
Message-ID: <31@utastro.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 26-May-84 22:50:27 EDT
Article-I.D.: utastro.31
Posted: Sat May 26 22:50:27 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 1-Jun-84 02:21:10 EDT
References: <339@kpnoa.UUCP>
Organization: UTexas Astronomy Dept., Austin, Texas
Lines: 26

[]
   >I have in my hands a preprint of a paper by Piet Hut (from Princeton)
   >                         . . . .
   >After studying these effects, he concludes that such a system IS
   >possible, although it should come apart in time.  A related factor to
   >its instability is that the period is not precisely regular, but may
   >vary as much as 20%.
   >
   >                                     Jay Parks

Is this intended to convince anyone of anything?  Of course it will come
apart in time -- eveything does.  The question is: if this mythical companion
had been formed along with our solar system, could it have survived until
now? (i.e. is this idea totally impossible, or merely wildly improbable?)

A 20% slop in period ought to cover virtually any funny-looking peaks in a
power spectrum dominated by noise, and allow true believers to "save the
hypothesis" without too much trouble.  

I've seen more convincing evidence for the Great Pumpkin.


-- 
                                 Ed Nather
                                 {allegra,ihnp4}!{ut-sally,noao}!utastro!nather
                                 Astronomy Dept., U. of Texas, Austin