TNO = trans neptunian object, basically far out dwarf planet

Obviously there would be less sun to greenhouse, but theoretically could that be a way to have closer-to-earth habitats far away from a star?

edit: the TNO does not have to be like Pluto, it can be bigger or have different conditions

  • Lovable Sidekick@lemmy.worldEnglish
    2·
    3 days ago

    No, the greehouse effect involves the atmosphere trapping the sun’s heat, and at the distance of Neptune the sun just looks like another bright star - too far away to provide enough heat even to keep an atmosphere in a gaseous state. BUT… if a faraway planet (I’m just gonna go ahead and use that word) generates enough internal heat to keep its atmosphere gaseous, it wouldn’t need a greenhouse effect, or even a sun. It could roam around between stars and still maintain an atmosphere, and who knows… living things could evolve that get all their energy from heat instead of sunlight.