7 ms·
Given the slower speeds in the outer solar system, especially since they will be rotating in the same direction, so the relative speed will be less, I would ima
by prewett 8y ago
Given the slower speeds in the outer solar system, especially since they will be rotating in the same direction, so the relative speed will be less, I would imagine that contact binaries would be fairly common. And since they are primarily made of ices, the actual contact event should melt the ice, which will then re-solidify since the impact speed is so little.
I don't know if this is how it actually happens, but it gives a mechanism for this being fairly common. The only information I could find was a short wikipedia article:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contact_binary_(small_Solar_System_body) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contact_binary_(small_Solar_Sy...