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Artist's conception of PSO J318.5-22. Credit: MPIA/V. Ch. Quetz

Multicolor image from the Pan-STARRS1 telescope of the free-floating planet PSO J318.5-22, in the constellation of Capricornus. The planet is extremely cold and faint, about 100 billion times fainter in optical light than the planet Venus. Most of its energy is emitted at infrared wavelengths. The image is 125 arcseconds on a side. Credit: N. Metcalfe & Pan-STARRS 1 Science Consortium

1 posted on 10/10/2013 2:17:56 PM PDT by Red Badger
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To: SunkenCiv; KevinDavis

Space and Astronomy Ping!.................


2 posted on 10/10/2013 2:18:25 PM PDT by Red Badger (TANSTAAFL always wins. Always...........................)
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To: Red Badger
"I had often wondered if such solitary objects exist, and now we know they do."

Well now that you know, what are you going to do about it?

3 posted on 10/10/2013 2:22:36 PM PDT by Talisker (One who commands, must obey.)
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To: Red Badger

Just don’t call it Melancholia.


4 posted on 10/10/2013 2:23:54 PM PDT by dainbramaged (Joe McCarthy was right.)
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To: Red Badger

I’m guessing there are a lot of them out there.


6 posted on 10/10/2013 2:27:28 PM PDT by cripplecreek (REMEMBER THE RIVER RAISIN!)
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To: Red Badger

How much bigger would it need to be to ignite? Then it would just be another young star.


7 posted on 10/10/2013 2:29:26 PM PDT by dangerdoc (see post #6)
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To: Red Badger

Yet another cosmic body that will stretch the definition of planet as decreed by the IAU. Why not give this group of objects another name, using Latin this time out. Say, Vagus, or my favorite, Peregrinus?


9 posted on 10/10/2013 2:33:03 PM PDT by centurion316
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To: Red Badger

“has a mass only six times that of Jupiter.”

ONLY?


12 posted on 10/10/2013 2:35:47 PM PDT by Boogieman
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To: Red Badger

Fromm what I remember from college wouldn’t the size of the planet be very close to the critical mass needed for the formation of a star?


13 posted on 10/10/2013 2:44:31 PM PDT by Cyman
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To: Red Badger
Sounds like a young, large protoplanet that got flung, for some reason, from one of the young stars in the vicinity.

Maybe gravity hasn't had enough time to increase its' density or rotational speed is too great?

15 posted on 10/10/2013 2:45:53 PM PDT by The Cajun (Sarah Palin, Mark Levin, Ted Cruz......Nuff said.)
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To: Red Badger
Six times Jupiter's mass is more like a failed star than a planet (which I think by definition should be orbiting something). One more thing for Red Dwarf and the boys to accidentally run into.


19 posted on 10/10/2013 3:05:03 PM PDT by katana (Just my opinions)
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To: Red Badger
...has a mass only six times that of Jupiter.

A failed star, insufficient mass to start the reaction, or coalescing and reaction to start soon- maybe a few million more years.

20 posted on 10/10/2013 3:18:29 PM PDT by JimRed (Excise the cancer before it kills us; feed & water the Tree of Liberty! TERM LIMITS NOW & FOREVER!)
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To: ClearBlueSky

PING!!!!!

Of interest.


25 posted on 10/10/2013 8:30:03 PM PDT by Shadowstrike (Be polite, Be professional, but have a plan to kill everyone you meet.)
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