Theia Earth Collision

[vh]

This >following< video, shows the Sun, Earth, and Theia. Theia starts out at Earths L5 point (where its supposed to have formed out of left over debris. However, Theia grew until it was unstable, at which point it moved out of the L5 point and proceeded to collide with earth.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_impact_hypothesis#Theia

from wikipedia

also, if you're wondering, the wobble of Theia slowly approaching Earth seemed pretty small. I couldn't see it with trails turned on.

Universe Sandbox - Theia-Earth Collision

This is the actual collision. I researched and tried to replicate all the variables as best i could (initial velocity, angle of impact, masses before collision, density). After the collision, you may notice the "moon" is very close. This is how the moon used to look when it was first formed. It is still moving farther and farther away from us, gradually.

Universe Sandbox - Theia-Earth Collision Part 2

[Yannos]

Amazing! Great job in recreating the giant impact theory. Funny how we see the moon every night and never ask how it was created.

[Naru523]

It's nice, but does miss some missing parameters (which may be un-availiable for the program itself) like the ring.

[vh]

Ring? The debris ring that formed after the collision around Earth where the moon was created?

[Naru523]

Yes, there was a ring around the Earth (people say it's as delicate as Saturn's rings apparently) before it formed several small moons, which then collided to make the Moon today.

[Bla]

Very good simulation. I assume both videos are of the same simulation with 2 just continuing from 1?

[vh]

no. The accuracy i would've needed to pull that off would be near impossible. It's 2 different simulations and videos. The first one is meant to show how Theia gradually moved closer (i exaggerated the effects so it wouldn't take a couple million orbits), while the second shows the collision.

[smjjames]

What about making the 'exploded' bodies into smaller pieces?

Still though, cool simulation.

[Bla]

Okay, how did you exaggerate the effects?

[smjjames]

Probably increased the speed while keeping it on the same orbit.

[vh]

oh, Theia was liek too heavy to stay in the L5 region so it did a wobbly dance and moved forwards. As soon as it had gathered enough matter to be unstable, around 10% of earths mass, the body would do the wobbly dance. So if at 10% it was stable, and 10.1% it was unstable, i could turn it up to 11% to make it 10 times as unstable, (i hope) while not messing around too much with the mass.

@smjjames
how would you do that? if you increased the speed, the object would fly out of orbit. How would you "keep it on the same orbit"?

[Darvince]

It's impossible, probably increasing the mass. Amirite?

[smjjames]

@Mudkipz, maybe if the suns mass were bigger.... nah, chalk it up to being somewhat inexperienced.

[Darvince]

Whatever. Mudkipz forgives loves you.

[vh]

@Mudkipz, maybe if the suns mass were bigger.... nah, chalk it up to being somewhat inexperienced.

yes you could. You're making both bodies larger and thus the relative space in between them closer. Instead of enlarging both bodies, i put the bodies closer together, making the same effect.