Did any planets get destroyed

Answer 1

Jupiter can be destroyed but why would you want to?

In about 5 billion years time, when our Sun turns into a red giant, it will start to shed it's outer layers into the outer Solar System. These solar winds will start to strip the outer atmosphere of Jupiter away from it's core. Whether it will be enough to decimate Jupiter is unlikely, but Jupiter will, when out Sun dies, become nothing more than a dead planet.

Answer 2

All planets can be destroyed if the circumstances are right - or wrong - depending on your perspective.

The planet Mercury was destroyed/combined when another similar planet of the same size "smashed" into it. The Earth was almost destroyed when the planet Theia "crashed" into it, which created the Moon.

So Yes - definitely.

Answer 3

Possibly. The planet that MIGHT have been destroyed, does not have an official name. We're not even sure if it existed, it's just a theory.

In the history of astronomy, many astronomers believed there was a celestial body large enough to be a planet in between Mars and Jupiter that was originally the 5th planet in the solar system until it "vanished".

One nickname given to the hypothetical planet is Phaeton (the son of the sun god Helios in Greek mythology).

The modern nickname used by NASA to describe this possible, previously-existing planet, is Planet V.

The problem is, that in the past, astronomers got too overly excited with new discoveries and named asteroids as planets. Due to modern definitions of "planet" - an asteroid can not be considered a planet.

At one time there was said to be 19 "planets" between Mars and Jupiter in the asteroid belt, but these were all just large asteroids that weren't even large enough to be considered moons, let alone planets.

However, the theory is that there was at least one planet there billions of years ago, that may have somehow collided or broke apart, creating the asteroid belt that we see today. NASA explained that if a planet did exist there, the orbit would have been very unstable, which could have caused a collision with another planet or a moon, shattering "Planet V" into billions of asteroids, forming the asteroid belt.

Again, this planet is just a theory until it has been scientifically proven by science.

There are related links below for further reading and information.

Answer 4

Yes a an asteroid can destroy a planet, although it is very unlikely. A large enough asteroid, moving in a path which strikes the planet at right angles, could generate strong enough shock waves to disrupt the planets core, causing it to break up. What is more likely is that the impact will alter the planet's orbit, as well as affecting the environment in detrimental ways.

Answer 5

There could be a number of factors. Our universe is so vast and complex that the truth can only be found in the heavens. When referring to scientific theory and factual data, meteorites and other space debris striking a planet, being knocked off natural orbital track. Destroyed is a broad question though- to non-existence, or unfamiliarity?

Answer 6

No. Asteroids do not have enough mass or even enough kinetic energy to destroy a planet. They, "DO" have enough potential energy to destroy life within the surface of a planet.

Answer 7

it is unsure where the inner asteroid belt is might have been a planet at one time but the gravity for the sun and Jupiter might have just warped it so much it just was destroyed

Answer 8

no.