Interstellar visitor may have altered planetary orbits in Solar System, say scientists
A group of scientists has proposed that a massive interstellar object, potentially eight times the size of Jupiter, might have dramatically influenced the orbits of planets in our solar system. The study, currently published on the arXiv preprint database but not yet peer-reviewed, suggests that this celestial intruder passed close to where Mars orbits today, reshaping the paths of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
For years, researchers have noted a discrepancy between the ideal concentric, planar arrangement of planetary orbits and their current three-dimensional orientations. To investigate, the team hypothesized that approximately four billion years ago, a star-sized object entered our solar system. They conducted 50,000 simulations over 20 million years, varying the visitor's mass, velocity, and proximity to the Sun.
Their findings indicate that in about 1% of scenarios, the object's gravitational influence could explain the current orbital patterns of the planets. According to the simulations, the interstellar visitor may have approached within 1.69 astronomical units (AU) of the Sun—just beyond Mars' present orbit. Such proximity would have allowed its gravity to nudge the planets into new trajectories.
While previous theories attributed these irregularities to interactions among the planets themselves, this study posits that a one-time interstellar event may provide a more plausible explanation. The researchers also called for further investigation into the potential effects of such an encounter on minor planets in the asteroid belt and the trans-Neptunian region.
"We estimate that there is about a 1-in-100 chance that such a flyby produces a dynamical architecture similar to that of the solar system," the researchers stated, adding that this encounter could account for the moderate eccentricities and inclinations observed in planetary orbits.
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More than fifty KAS candidates miss exam after last-minute hall ticket distribution by KPSC: Report
Bengaluru: Over 50 candidates slated to appear for the Karnataka Administrative Service (KAS) mains exam were unable to take the test on Saturday following a last-minute and poorly communicated hall ticket distribution process by the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC).
The candidates are now demanding the state government and the High Court of Karnataka to intervene and ensure justice to them, as reported by The New Indian Express on Sunday.
The confusion began after the Karnataka High Court allowed around 120 aspirants—previously left out because of some confusion in the Kannada translation of a question paper for the preliminary exam—to appear for the mains. Acting on the court’s directive, the KPSC instructed these candidates to submit their applications and fees by 3:00 p.m. on May 2 and collect their hall tickets in person from its Bengaluru office at 5:30 p.m. the same day.
However, the KPSC issued a fresh notification at 9:40 p.m. on Friday—just hours before the exam—stating that hall tickets would be available only until 12:00 a.m. With the exam scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, this sudden change caused significant confusion and distress among candidates, the report added.
Several candidates rushed to the KPSC office, only to be stopped at the gate. When they protested, the police reportedly resorted to a lathicharge to control the crowd. Despite this, candidates continued to protest until they were allowed entry to collect their hall tickets one by one—some staying at the KPSC office until as late as 4:00 a.m.
While KPSC maintained that it complied with the court’s order, candidates argued that the last-minute communication and lack of clarity were unfair and exclusionary. They also questioned why only a limited group of candidates—those part of the court petition—were allowed to appear, despite over 5,000 aspirants having raised concerns. “There are 65,000 Kannada-medium candidates. If only a few are helped, is that the social justice promised by the chief minister?” TNIE quoted one candidate as saying.
Meanwhile, several candidates requested the governor to stop the exam immediately to prevent injustice to them. Additionally, allegations of bias and result manipulation have also surfaced. A candidate from Bidar accused the commission of intentionally manipulating the process to favour certain candidates. “If KSEAB can conduct SSLC and PU exams smoothly, why can't KPSC? Unless there’s something to hide,” he remarked.
