It is the only large moon in the Solar System with a retrograde orbit, an orbit in the direction opposite to its planet's rotation. If not, it will collide with Neptune in several billion years. It will either collide with Neptune's atmosphere or break up, forming a ring system similar to that found around the planet Saturn. According to Rufu, a collision with a large enough satellite in a prograde orbit, along the same path as the planet's rotation, would have thrown Triton into Neptune. Favorite Answer. A capture scenario could account not only for Triton’s orbit but also for the unusual orbit of Nereid and provide the energy needed to melt and differentiate Triton’s interior. The discovery was made on October 10, 1846, by English astronomer William Lassell. So, maybe never.

Triton the largest satellite of Neptune, is any ice world with a tenuous nitrogen atmosphere. The reason why Triton is thought to be a captured object is its orbit, which is … Unfortunately, thanks to its slow, decaying orbit, Triton is doomed, and likely to be torn apart by Neptune when it gets too close. Astronomers noticed that Triton is actually much closer to it’s parent planet Neptune than our moon is with Earth. Triton, or Neptune I, is the largest moon of the planet Neptune. It will either collide with Neptune's atmosphere or break up, forming a ring system similar to that found around Saturn. It is both retrograde (see diagram) and highly tilted. It is also 840.96 miles or 1353.39393 kilometers in size. Computer modelling suggests that in about 3.6 billion years, Triton will cross Neptune’s Roche limit, which is the distance at which an object orbiting a massive body will break apart. No, Their orbits are in a pattern (a resonance), which means that they can never get very close to each other. It will either collide with Neptune's atmosphere or break up, forming a ring system similar to that found around the planet Saturn. Because of its retrograde orbit, tidal interactions between Neptune and Triton remove energy from Triton thus lowering its orbit.
This process is immensely slow. This could only happen in an event that would also cause Jupiter and Neptune to collide.

3.6 billion years from now, Triton will pass within Neptune's Roche limit. Barring some solar system ending event, this isn't likely. Computer modelling suggests that in about 3.6 billion years, Triton will cross Neptune’s Roche limit, which is the distance at which an object orbiting a massive body will break apart. It is springing down toward Neptune and will eventually break up and form a ring system. This process is immensely slow.