So if a moon had an atmosphere, what are the odds that it would keep it—and what factors would contribute to that?
1. The initial explosion might have blown off the atmosphere if debris hits the moon.
2. Leaving a Goldilocks zone and going into a colder region of space would cause the atmosphere to shed over time.
My guess is if Shakuras moons' atmosphere wasn't blown off in the initial explosion it would take many years for that to happen.
Depending on their distance from Shakuras their atmosphere could be damaged, intact, or completely vaporized, leading any life on them to rapidly die since the planet would start to become like the Moon. Anything with an atmosphere can keep it unless outside factors affect it, usually an extraterrestrial impact. Atmosphere is really just a layer of gas, so as long as that isn't vaporized and the object has enough gravity the atmosphere will stay where it is.
These are the factors:
Another object with more gravity tearing away the moons' atmosphere.
Getting pelted by asteroids (Earth was just a hunk of rock until the same thing happened billions of years ago.)
Being too close to solar prominences and radiation. (Nuclear radiation inflicted on objects without an atmosphere that blocks radiation like ours will lead to radioactive decay because the nuclei of some atoms are unstable and the "weak force" binding them can be shattered easily)
Extreme heat vaporizing atmosphere.
Extreme cold - the atmosphere of a celestial body maintains its thermal heat even while out of a star's orbit, but that heat vanishes very quickly. Extreme cold can cause physical changes in the atmosphere, like crystallization.
The Goldilocks zone within a star system is the area in which life can be sustained. Our Goldilocks zone is conveniently right where Earth orbits. If those moons ever sustained life within orbit of Shakuras, after it blew up all organisms would die. Think of this: if Earth was knocked any more than a couple million miles in either direction, we would either have a perpetual Death Valley or extreme Ice Age. Most life on Earth, if not all, would die in either condition.
@ksnumedia: Go
So if a moon had an atmosphere, what are the odds that it would keep it—and what factors would contribute to that?
1. The initial explosion might have blown off the atmosphere if debris hits the moon. 2. Leaving a Goldilocks zone and going into a colder region of space would cause the atmosphere to shed over time.
My guess is if Shakuras moons' atmosphere wasn't blown off in the initial explosion it would take many years for that to happen.
I see a sad hybrid on one of those moons...traveling through space contemplating what it all means. Crash lands into...
@LucidIguana: Go
Depending on their distance from Shakuras their atmosphere could be damaged, intact, or completely vaporized, leading any life on them to rapidly die since the planet would start to become like the Moon. Anything with an atmosphere can keep it unless outside factors affect it, usually an extraterrestrial impact. Atmosphere is really just a layer of gas, so as long as that isn't vaporized and the object has enough gravity the atmosphere will stay where it is.
These are the factors:
@Gradius12: Go
The Goldilocks zone within a star system is the area in which life can be sustained. Our Goldilocks zone is conveniently right where Earth orbits. If those moons ever sustained life within orbit of Shakuras, after it blew up all organisms would die. Think of this: if Earth was knocked any more than a couple million miles in either direction, we would either have a perpetual Death Valley or extreme Ice Age. Most life on Earth, if not all, would die in either condition.
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@ksnumedia: Go
Dang, you know your astronomy, man. I love astronomy and I'm trying to get back into it.