The planets in the solar system have completed a few billion orbits since they were born. The behavior of planetary orbits over such long times was not understood until recently despite three centuries of study. Computers now allow us to follow the motion of planets reliably for the lifetime of the solar system. We will see how the Earth's orbit has evolved throughout geological history, and learn of the Earth's ultimate fate. We will also discuss what determines the number and spacing of the planets and whether there are lost planets
This talk is intended for a general audience including enthusiasts of all backgrounds and ages.
