HAT-P-1

[this_n00b_rocks]

Apparently, astronomers have found a distant planet so light, that it can float in water. There are also a bunch of odd properties, one of them being that a year is 4.5 days. Any thoughts about the new planet?
Link FTW. For GuidoHunter, Afrobean, and Tokzic.
The link is really big.

[GuidoHunter]

Re: HAT-P-1

Apparently, astronomers have found a distant planet so light, that it can float in water. There are also a bunch of odd properties, one of them being that a year is 4.5 days. Any thoughts about the new planet?

Saturn could float in water, too. That deals with density, not mass.

Do you have a source for this? A link? Anything? In what solar system is it?

--Guido

http://andy.mikee385.com

[Afrobean]

Re: HAT-P-1

Um.

How in the **** could a planet float in water? The planet would be pulled toward whatever planet the water is on. Floating wouldn't matter, because as they got closer to each other, eventually gravity would take over completely and they'd collide.

Also, I doubt it could make a full orbit in 4.5 Earth days. It would have to move REALLY FAST or be REALLY CLOSE, in which case, gravity would take over completely and the planet would crash into it's star or whatever it's orbiting.

[Kit-]

Re: HAT-P-1

Also, I doubt it could make a full orbit in 4.5 Earth days. It would have to move REALLY FAST or be REALLY CLOSE, in which case, gravity would take over completely and the planet would crash into it's star or whatever it's orbiting.

Assuming no orbit deterioration or outside forces, orbits are ALWAYS elliptic.

[Afrobean]

Re: HAT-P-1

Yeah, but what I'm saying is that I see no way that the planet could be close enough to orbit at a rate of 4.5 Earth days for a full orbit and not be so close that the gravity just pulls the planet in.

[GuidoHunter]

Re: HAT-P-1

Um.

How in the **** could a planet float in water?

If the planet's density is less than one kg/m^3, then it would float in water. That is ALL the statement is saying, so don't go overanalyzing things. This also assumes that there is a water container large enough to hold a planet.

Stop thinking so much.

--Guido

http://andy.mikee385.com

[jewpinthethird]

Re: HAT-P-1

Astronomy isn't about thinking, it's about looking...and there is a substansital amount of thinking...but thats besides the point.

Sh*t happens in space, and no one really knows what is happing. But we've got somethings figured out and we are on our way to greater understanding. But right now, its baby steps.

Think like babies. I am a doctor of the law.

[Tokzic]

Re: HAT-P-1

a year is 4.5 days

BS.

Maybe a day is 4.5 days, or a year is 4.5 months, but physics says that's crap.

[Kit-]

Re: HAT-P-1

Yeah, but what I'm saying is that I see no way that the planet could be close enough to orbit at a rate of 4.5 Earth days for a full orbit and not be so close that the gravity just pulls the planet in.

My point is, there's no distance at which gravity "just pulls the planet in," assuming that the planet is moving fast enough.

[GuidoHunter]

Re: HAT-P-1

Would I be wrong in applying centripetal force to the planet, here? That is, if it's got a 4.5 day orbit, it's cruising so fast that the centripetal force counteracts the gravitational force of the star?

I understand what Kit's saying about the elliptical orbit; I'm just trying to reason why. Physics never was my strongest suit, so I may be completely out of line in this case.

--Guido

http://andy.mikee385.com

[Kit-]

Re: HAT-P-1

The centripetal force IS the gravitational force.

[GuidoHunter]

Re: HAT-P-1

Hahahaha, oh man, that was a bad one.

So I just got my terms mixed up. The faster the planet is moving, the greater its outward acceleration, which requires a greater gravitational (centripetal) force to keep it from being thrown out of the system.

--Guido

http://andy.mikee385.com

[Kit-]

Re: HAT-P-1

Actually, the planet never experiences outward acceleration. That's just its tendency to move in a straight line. The planet only escapes if it is moving at the escape velocity for its current distance from the sun. Otherwise, it just moves in an ellipse, albeit a really, really big ellipse.

[GuidoHunter]

Re: HAT-P-1

"Outward" is kind of a misleading term. Basically, I mean it to be the acceleration against which the centripetal ("inward") force acts. Since you can't have acceleration pointing in the direction of a circle, the tangential component will be pointing away from the orbit, hence the outward description.

--Guido

http://andy.mikee385.com

[masterchief12]

Re: HAT-P-1

WASHINGTON (AP) - The largest planet ever found orbiting another star is so puffy it would float on water, astronomers said Thursday.

.... Does it really have anything to do with "puffy"ness?

I know how density and gravity work but why would astronomers say "puffy"?