Earthed - If a stray planet entered our solar system, is there anything we could do to get rid of it?

If a stray planet entered our solar system, is there anything we could do to get rid of it?

Say a stray planet entered our solarsystem and was heading for earth, about the size of mars, is there anything we could do or are we just doomed to watch it destroy us. Also, on a tangent, would would happen if a white dwarf entered our solar system heading for our sun, what would happen?
Also what would happen when the white dwarf passed different planets?

Public Comments

we would die
For a Mars sized object, we don't have anything that could change its path right now. There are many ideas out there for pushing an asteroid out of our path but it would require advanced warning. We need enough time to gently nudge an object off its course. As for a white dwarf...It would start siphoning material from our sun and could go supernova. Not good news for the planets. Of course the white dwarf would alter the courses of the planets as it passed, probably gobble up the planets.
Either way we wouldn't see the final event...
We don't have the technology to deflect or destroy a planet the size of Mars. A white dwarf would be almost as bad because it would probably eject most of the planets into interstellar space to freeze.
I suppose that the astronauts would be sent into space to try to blow up the planet (but even if thats the case, when they blow it up, they'll still be smaller peices of the planet headed for earth anyways).

Even with our advanced technology today, there'd still be nothing we could do about it. How can we compete with something so huge! Its like we'd be the ants and the white dwarf would be the humans lol (and we all know that the humans are way bigger than ants). I'm afraid our sun would be doomed!

To be it in a way that you'd understand more better... WE'D DIE!!!!!!! LOL
Our technology doesn't have anything even remotely close to being able to change the path of an object with that kind of mass. We would be in for the most spectacular (and lethal) fireworks show in the history of our planet.

Something like a white dwarf would affect the planetary orbit of anything within its gravitational field (which would be big, but not a guaranteed thing). Even the slightest change in our orbit would throw the ecological cycle on Earth out of whack. Probably to the point that it could not sustain life. (Our ecosystem is a resilient, yet fragile thing.)

A direct collision of white dwarf vs. yellow star would be cool. I couldn't even guess what would happen.
Ok, a rogue planet the size of Mars you say? Absloutely nothing. Than God in your scenareo it's headed for the Sun & not us. If it was, then the link below will show you what would happen.
I think I had make some simulation program to show the effect of a blackhole passing by our solar system, just see it here :

http://orimath.blogspot.com/2008/01/effect-of-black-hole-passing-by-our.html

http://orimath.blogspot.com/2008/01/effect-of-black-hole-passing-by-our_14.html

Don't worry about a stray planet the size of mars entering our solar system, though. The size of solar system is far bigger than the diameter of any planet.

If the planet velocity is fast, then it have high probability to pass our solar system peacefully. If the velocity is slow, the probability to hit earth is very low.

Anyway, if you really curious about what can happen, just download my Gravity Simulator from my blog here :

http://orimath.blogspot.com

It is completely free. But you did have to learn from the example I gave in the blog. Check for entries labeled "Gravity Simulator" and good luck.
planets are dedicated to their centre, the moment they leave their galaxy they would become rougue items in universe.

If our technology isunable to tackle few km wide astroid ,it would not be able to any thing

Remember Pluto

if u know rape is inevitable , lie down and enjoy
we could start building spaceships real quick and leave !
It is with great regret that this would be - THE END