Odd Planet Confuses Scientists 142
eldavojohn writes "While there's been a lot of debate about what is a planet, there is a recent discovery that has scientists even more confused. COROT (COnvection ROtation and planetary Transits) spotted an object that appears to be the size of Jupiter yet is 21.6 times more massive ... and orbits its star in a mere four days and six hours. Now, the other piece of the puzzle is that the star it orbits is more massive and only slightly larger than our Sun. But they can't describe this thing orbiting it. So far they think it is more likely to be a 'failed star' but have settled with 'member of a new-found family of very massive planets that encircle stars more massive than the sun' to describe it accurately."
I hate to say it.. (Score:3, Funny)
... but that's no moon.
That's no planet. (Score:5, Funny)
"the size of Jupiter yet 21.6 times more massive.. and orbits its star in a mere four days and six hours."
That's New Year roughly twice a week, by Jove.
Party on ; ).
You know, the way we're going... (Score:2, Funny)
...before long astrophysicists will have more words for things that orbit other things than the Inuit have for snow.
Re:What's it made of? (Score:3, Funny)
Re:I hate to say it.. (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Is orbital mechanics fractal? (Score:4, Funny)
My bet is that they just misplaced a decimal point somewhere. It's always some mundane detail like that.
Re:why not classify them with letters? ala star tr (Score:5, Funny)
Because the astrological community is too busy hoodwinking people with talk of Jupiter in the Second House, and horoscopes, and other nonsense.
Re:Get with the times... (Score:3, Funny)
Comprised of PS3? It will be hotter than the sun if someone turns that thing on and starts folding!
Re:You know, the way we're going... (Score:1, Funny)
I don't think the Inuit has more words for snow than we do in English:
Water, ice, black ice, snow, rain, slush, wet snow, dry snow, powder snow, pellet snow, feather snow...
Re:That's no planet. (Score:4, Funny)
He capitalized it. Maybe that's the name of his cat.
Re:What's it made of? (Score:3, Funny)
AOL CD's aren't that dense. It's the AOL USERS that are dense.
Re:Is orbital mechanics fractal? (Score:3, Funny)
I don't get it. Can you please re-frame your example using a car analogy?