Fireball planet orbits star in 8.5 hours

[Saru]

A newly discovered Earth-sized world around a distant star completes a full orbit in a matter of hours.

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have discovered a new, Earth-sized exoplanet for which orbiting its star is literally all in a day's work.

Read more...

[Bendy Demon]

As close to its star as this planet is, I am surprised the stars gravitational pull didn't suck it right into itself.

Anyways, that was pretty neat to read. Again science learns more and more each day.

[Waspie_Dwarf]

As close to its star as this planet is, I am surprised the stars gravitational pull didn't suck it right into itself.

It doesn't work like that. If the orbital velocity is correct then theoretically you could orbit 2 inches above the star. In reality that can't happen. Stars have an atmosphere and if the planet orbits within this then drag will slow the planet and that will cause it to spiral into the star.

Also there is the Roche Limit. If the planet orbits lower than the stars Roche limit then tidal forces will tear it apart.

[Bendy Demon]

Yeah, with a velocity like that I suppose the planets orbit can be maintained for quite some time.

But what about the slingshot effect. With a high velocity rate, isn't it possible for the planet to be flung away at some point?

[Waspie_Dwarf]

But what about the slingshot effect. With a high velocity rate, isn't it possible for the planet to be flung away at some point?

Again it doesn't work like that. If an object is in orbit it means that the force trying to make it fly away from the object it is orbit around (inertia) is balanced by the force trying to pull it into the object it is orbiting (gravity). They will remain balanced unless another force acts on them.

[Sundew]

As close to its star as this planet is, I am surprised the stars gravitational pull didn't suck it right into itself.

Anyways, that was pretty neat to read. Again science learns more and more each day.

At our galactic center stars are racing around a black hole as well, and while the BH may be pulling gases off their surfaces and "consuming" the gas, despite the intense gravitation (billions of times that of our sun), they do not just fall into the black hole, they orbit it. It would take some other object, say another star, passing close by to change the orbit of the star in question, in which case it might fall in, be flung away, or merely change its orbit. Just think of the earth's orbit around our own sun, or the moon around the earth, on our time scale, the orbits are very stable. We don't fall into the sun, nor does the moon crash to earth.

I tried to link to a gravity game where you could have "planets" of three sizes orbit one or more "stars". It was quite fun and you could try to have stable orbits of planets in binary or larger star systems, which is not easy. Unfortunately the site is down and I have no idea if it will ever be back up.

[pallidin]

Amazing. I like how, even after being(somewhat out-of-service) that there is more previous data to pour over and examine.

I say "somewhat" because even though 2 out the 4 gyros have failed, I think I heard that they are considering using the onboard mini-thrusters to somewhat stabilize the telescope for additional imaging.

Maybe Waspie has more info on that.

[Waspie_Dwarf]

I say "somewhat" because even though 2 out the 4 gyros have failed, I think I heard that they are considering using the onboard mini-thrusters to somewhat stabilize the telescope for additional imaging.

Maybe Waspie has more info on that.

Basically Kepler's planet hunting days are over. NASA is looking into what useful mission it could now carry out. There is more info HERE.

[brlesq1]

What a great article. Too bad Kepler failed.

[Rolci]

So what WOULDN'T melt on the surface?

[shrooma]

So what WOULDN'T melt on the surface?

.

Adamantium.

Superman's underpants.

margaret thatcher's heart.

a frozen 20lb turkey at 11am on christmas morning.....

;-)

[spacecowboy342]

At our galactic center stars are racing around a black hole as well, and while the BH may be pulling gases off their surfaces and "consuming" the gas, despite the intense gravitation (billions of times that of our sun), they do not just fall into the black hole, they orbit it. It would take some other object, say another star, passing close by to change the orbit of the star in question, in which case it might fall in, be flung away, or merely change its orbit. Just think of the earth's orbit around our own sun, or the moon around the earth, on our time scale, the orbits are very stable. We don't fall into the sun, nor does the moon crash to earth.

I tried to link to a gravity game where you could have "planets" of three sizes orbit one or more "stars". It was quite fun and you could try to have stable orbits of planets in binary or larger star systems, which is not easy. Unfortunately the site is down and I have no idea if it will ever be back up.

Actually, in the case of the earth and moon the orbit isn't that stable since the earth is rotating faster than the moon is orbiting tidal forces are increasing the orbital velocity of the moon (and slowing the earth's rotation slightly) meaning that one day we will lose the moon.