Astronomers Study Planet With A Death Wish
Posted on: Thursday, 27 August 2009, 10:05 CDT | Related Video
Astronomers recently discovered a planet that is on a suicidal orbit dangerously close to its parent star, which will eventually lead to its demise.
Writing in the journal Nature, Coel Hellier, a professor of astrophysics at the Keele University in England, reported the discovery of planet WASP-18b, named for the Wide Angle Search for Planets, by which it was discovered.
At ten times the mass of Jupiter, WASP-18b has an orbital period of 0.94 days. Its orbit results in a strong tidal interaction that will eventually lead the planet off course causing it to smash into its parent star, WASP-18.
"It's causing its own destruction by creating these tides," said Hellier.
Located about 400 light-years away in the constellation Phoenix, WASP-18b is orbiting about 1.9 million miles from its parent star, which places it on a slow collision course. Hellier said the planet would probably live up to million years before crashing.
Another possibility would be that the planet could be shredded to form a ring system, said Hellier.
But astronomer and co-author Andrew Collier Cameron of the University of St. Andrews said another scenario exists. The third possibility would be that an unknown tidal force could actually extend the lifespan of WASP-18b by as much as 500 million years.
Cameron believes that the closeness between the planet and its star could cause turbulence, which would actually negate the planet’s suicidal orbit shift.
Astronomers expect to learn more about the future of the misguided planet over the next decade.
But Hellier said that is WASP-18b is somehow able to dodge destruction, that would mean “our understanding of orbital dynamics, particularly tidal interactions, needs revision.”
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Source: redOrbit Staff & Wire Reports
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User Comments (2)
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Posted by Bjarne Lorenzen on 09/27/2009, 07:29 UPDATE The conclusion in my previous post was wrong. It’s not enough only to consider the possible force that can be pass by, - based on the angel velocity as a result of a astronomic bodies rotation (centrifugal force) affecting the planet (WASP-18b). It’s also necessary calculating the possible energy requirement and compare that to the (rotation) energy available due to the stars rotation.. This shows that even though if enough energy fast “could” be transmitted to Wasp-18b, it’s simply not available. Wasp-18b will therefore approach the star, and will not only be affected by the tidal effect (expected 2.8 s. per year) but will probably also be effected by too weak rotation energy (+ 2 s per year) Total 4.8 s. per year. However Wasp-18b should have been dismissed for several hundred million years ago. How could it “hide it self” from the tidal force so long time? The answer seems to be “written in the stars”. By comparing with other solar systems we can easy understand the logic. (The site is now updated and much better now) > http://www.science27.com/english/SolarSystems.htm Sorry for the confusion… |
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Posted by Bjarne Lorenzen on 09/01/2009, 14:14 Mathematical Breakthrough It is now mathematical proven that the decelerating force that affected the Pioneer probes and the accelerating force that had caused many Fly-by anomalies: 1.) Both affect the Earth (and the planets) as well, - and with full force. 2.) Automatically equalize each other (when affecting the planets). 3.) This explains the cause of the WASP-18b mystery and all the probes anomalies as well. 4.) Wasp will be stable, it will not approach the star, not at all. More > www.science27.com/english/the_pioneer_anomaly.html |
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