How would the sudden destruction of Earth affect other planets within the Solar System?

Earth is destroyed in explosive fashion by an unknown force. How does this affect the rest of the Solar System? Does sudden absence of that mass affect the orbits of the other planets at all? Let's say that the moon is relatively unscathed in that it missed some of the major chunks expelled out in the initial boom. With the earth gone, does its previous orbital momentum launch it towards the Sun or towards the asteroid belt to be pummeled into oblivion by stray rocks? Where would the chunks of planet be flung to? How would all of this affect a halfway terraformed Mars?

• There is a sizeable population on Mars, which as mentioned is halfway terraformed with five major cities and a rail system connecting them.
• The moon has a pretty big population as well, though it's mostly novelty tourist stuff, space cruise terminal, and mining barge construction bays.
• There are science outposts on some of the moons of the outer planets, and one on Pluto, plus mining stations within the asteroid belt. I tried to simulate this in Universe Sandbox, but before I could even press the boom button, the moons of Jupiter and Saturn decided to fly off into oblivion for some reason.

posted almost 10 years ago

Arad‭

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