Vulcanoids are hypothesized asteroids that may orbit between 0.08 and 0.21 astronomical units from the Sun. Their existence is difficult to confirm due to the Sun’s glare, but their presence is expected based on other stable regions in the solar system and Mercury’s surface scars. Special telescopes and equipment are needed to observe the region around the Sun, and more exploration is needed to definitively confirm or disprove the existence of Vulcanoids.
The Vulcanoids are a group of hypothesized asteroids that may orbit in a gravitationally stable region between 0.08 and 0.21 astronomical units (Sun-Earth lengths) from the Sun. In comparison, the planet Mercury orbits the Sun at a distance of between 0.3 and 0.46 astronomical units astronomical.
Confirming or denying the existence of Vulcanoids is very difficult due to the glare of the Sun. Astronomers are looking for Vulcanoids from an eclipse in 1901, but have not yet had any luck. Vulcanoids are named after Vulcan, a hypothetical planet hypothesized to explain the unusual motions in Mercury’s orbit. These variations were later explained by Einstein’s general theory of relativity, eliminating the need for a volcano.
There are various reasons why we should expect Vulcanoid asteroids to exist. Other dynamically stable regions of the solar system, such as the asteroid belt and the Kuiper belt, contain numerous asteroids, which gives no reason to expect the volcanic belt to be empty. Mercury has numerous surface scars, also increasing the likelihood that Vulcanoids exist. But some scientists have argued that all Vulcanoids have already impacted Mercury or fallen into the Sun. Some models of the solar system show all Vulcanoids disappeared more than a billion years ago, while others predict they still exist. The question won’t be resolved until we increase our ability to observe the inner solar system, preferably by sending out more robotic probes.
Just like the human eye, many of the world’s best observatories contain delicate optical equipment that would be incinerated if exposed to direct sunlight. This means that special telescopes and equipment must be used to observe the extremely bright region around the Sun. Recent efforts have focused on cameras mounted on suborbital spaceplanes.
The inner solar system is relatively little explored. Manned travel to this region for the foreseeable future is out of the question due to extreme heat and radiation in the inner solar system. It will probably take a sophisticated probe, or much better telescopes, to definitively confirm or disprove the existence of the Vulcanoids.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
