... weapon) and then have that planet latch onto another planet much like a moon? Hoping for an answer for a writing project. Theoretically, this "dead" planet would prevent the second planet from getting sunlight.
Responses (1)
If you are going to write science fiction you have to learn the science so you can check the numbers yourself. You don't "knock" a planet out of orbit. You apply a force and FLY IT into a new trajectory. A force strong enough to move a planet would break it, like hitting a mud ball with a bat.
Any time one body blocks the sunlight to another, that is called an eclipse and it does not last very long. If only a line of sight is involved, not sunlight, it is called an occult, and it does not last very long.