Astronomers detect 'Tatooine planet'

[derby378]

Astronomers have detected a planet outside our solar system with not one, but three suns, a finding that challenges astronomers' theories of planetary formation.

The planet, a gas giant slightly larger than Jupiter, orbits the main star of a triple-star system known as HD 188753 in the constellation Cygnus.

The stellar trio and its planet are about 149 light-years from Earth and about as close to each other as our sun is to Saturn, U.S. scientists reported on Thursday in the current edition of the journal Nature.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/07/14/planet.suns.reut/index.html

[The Doctor.]

1. COOL!

I wonder what the aggregate energy dynamic of the planet is... and it's affected orbit... and it's composition... and....

[Minstrel Boy]

2. "A gas giant orbiting HD 188753? No, no - it needs more sizzle."

"I know, Doc - let's Tatooine-ify its ass!"

[Beaver Tail]

3. Sorry

Tatooine was a desert planet. This is a gas giant

[Gay Green]

7. But that didn't stop CNN

They even invented a moon to accompany the gaseous giant!

[Javaman]

12. Just like Karl Rove. LOLOLOLOL

[0rganism]

4. Wake me up when we get to Arrakis

mmm... spice...

[Oreo]

5. The Star Wars geek in me must protest

Tatooine had 2 suns.

[soothsayer]

6. We'll have two when Jupiter finally ignites!

[derby378]

9. Just give * the nudge, and he'll nuke Jupiter for you

Problem solved!

[Endangered Specie]

10. It isnt going to ignite,

its a "failed" star, insufficent mass to go fusion (a similiar situation with this planet, if it had been more massive it would have been a 4 star system!)

[soothsayer]

11. eh, just keep yer eye on it! We'll set it on fire yet

[newswolf56]

13. Interesting. Indeed I was wondering if the new planet was not perhaps...

a dead (burned out) or failed star itself. (Unfortunately it's been too many years since I studied astronomy and physics for me to recall what I once knew about star/planet formation -- besides which, what I learned is probably obsolete by now anyway.)

[Endangered Specie]

16. Well, from what I know (which may not be much)...

a ball of gas has to reach a certain mass/density in order for gravity to exert a large enough force that causes it to 'shrink' and heat up to get to the temperature required for fusion of said gas... Thus producing a 'counterbalance' to gravity and keeping it from further collapse.

[Bill McBlueState]

18. here ya go

It's the mass that matters. A star is anything massive enough to fuse hydrogen into helium in its core. The lowest mass a star can have is about 80 times the mass of Jupiter.

The "failed stars" are known as brown dwarfs -- these are objects that can fuse deuterium for a short time. Deuterium is a less stable form of hydrogen that more easily participates in nuclear reactions. The lowest mass of a brown dwarf is about 13 Jupiters.

This new planet is "only" slightly more massive than Jupiter, so nuclear fusion never occured in its core.

[derby378]

8. "Help me, Obi-Wan! I need more beer!"

Sorry - another Milk & Cheese reference. Couldn't resist.

On a more serious thought, it's amazing that the planet orbits only one star in the system. Provided the planet could (or does) sustain life, can you imagine the seasons on that world?

[democracyindanger]

14. Wake me when they spot Womp Rats.

I've been itchin' to bullseye some in my old T-36.

[Bill McBlueState]

15. some visuals

An artist's conception of the view from a hypothetical moon orbiting the planet.


A model overhead view of the system. The planet orbits very closely to the central star.

More at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2005-115

[Bill McBlueState]

17. This is what NASA does best

It's not the ridiculously expensive and technologically outdated space shuttle, not pipe-dream manned missions to Mars. It's through its funding of independent individuals and small research groups that NASA (and its cousin, the astronomy wing of the National Science Foundation) sees the most payback for the smallest investment.

The orbiting observatories are also a NASA strong point.

[AlCzervik]

19. "Starrr Waarrrrs, let there be bar warrrrs"