Is there an astrophysicist in the room?

[Sentenza]

Regarding the twin ringed planets I found:

https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/266046-2-2-Your-Input-Needed-Passenger-Tourist-Destinations?p=4235840&viewfull=1#post4235840

It's all very beautiful, but I also have the feeling that this configuration can't possibly be stable - with the planets that close, tidal forces should disrupt the rings. Anyone with more knowledge than me (well, everyone ) can tell?

 

[goemon]

moved to exploration subforum. better chance of meeting an astrophycist

btw. - there is also an astronomy subforum.

 

[WR3ND]

Not an astrophysicist, but I suspect you're right that the rings wouldn't be uniform like that with the two worlds as close together as they seem to be, especially at the tilted axes like that. I'm not even sure that you could get a stable ring system in that kind of configuration at all. Maybe one further out orbiting both worlds, or if one of the worlds were a smaller moon orbiting with the rings (see Saturn).

 

[Varrag]

OP: fire up Universe Sandbox, put two ringed planets close to each other as in your example, and enjoy the show

edit: and here's what's going on... in short, chaos

 

[Cmdr Frawd Digger]

You could also directly ask Cmdr Ziljan who I believe has an astrophysics background.

Frawd