Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology => Topic started by: ukmicky on 01/01/2006 18:54:04

Title: jupiter
Post by: ukmicky on 01/01/2006 18:54:04

At present jupiter has too little mass to be a star but in the future it could theorectically gain enough mass to take over from the sun through impacts from comet and asteroids  and through the matter thrown out when the sun dies and loses its outer layers.

what would happen to our solar system and the remaining  planets if jupiter did become a star in the future. what planets would be in the habital zone of a jupiter star.

Also could there be planets in our solar system left over from a previous star that died and created our present sun









Michael
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Title: Re: jupiter
Post by: Soul Surfer on 01/01/2006 19:35:03

There is just not enough material around in the solar system to make Jupiter heavy enough to be a star it would have to increase its mass by more than ten times its current value and it has been at the current value for all but the first few million years of the solar system's history when it was accreating from the solar nebula.

It is very unlikely that any of the planets in the solar system were left over from a prevous star system but all of the elements heavier than lithium originateed in other stars that lived and died long before our solar system formed.

To look at the concept of having a red dwarf star in the place of jupiter.  Arthur C clarke considered this in the lat of the 200X a space oddyssy series
wher he warmed up Europa to liberate the life there without harming the aarth and apart from the practicality of the process thats probably what would happen we'd effectively have another star about as bright as the full moon in our sky

Title: Re: jupiter
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 01/01/2006 19:37:02

The minimum mass for a nuclear reaction to start is about 75 times that of Jupiter. That's a lot of mass that would need to be gained

Title: Re: jupiter
Post by: neilep on 01/01/2006 20:04:02

2010 is a good film...check it out Michael.

I think it would be nice to have Jupiter as a second Sun, presumably it would add a lot of light pollution though !

Men are the same as women.... just inside out !!

Title: Re: jupiter
Post by: ukmicky on 02/01/2006 02:33:29

cheers people

but i thought as the sun becomes a white dwarf it blows off its outer layers in a series of explosions. i figured there would be enough material flying around the solar system at this time to possibly increase the mass of Jupiter to the required levels.


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