Quote:
|
Quote by: Nono Here's a question:
Since they're still able to see only very large objects, they've been finding a number of Jupiter-size planets very close to the stars around which they orbit. These can't be terrestrial planets, can they? They're way to big for that, aren't they? But how could a gas giant be that close to a star without its gas being vaporized off into space? |
Good question. I've wondered about that myself. They don't actually see these planets; rather, they detect them by looking at stars' "gravitational wobbles". You see, a moon does not really revolve around a planet -- they both revolve around a common center of gravity. The same thing holds true for a star and her planets. What I find myself skeptical of is how accurate extrapolations they can get from the wobbles they detect. Have they looked at the Sun and measured how much she wobbles? I don't know. But it would be interesting if they did look at her and their models said she should have a massive Jupiter-plus world orbiting closer than Mercury! :)
Does anyone know more about this?
- Rob