Can a Planet Turn into a Star through Gas Accumulation?

  • Thread starter Thread starter JV
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Planet Star
AI Thread Summary
A planet could theoretically become a star by accumulating enough gas, specifically hydrogen, to reach the conditions necessary for nuclear fusion. The minimum mass required for spontaneous fusion is approximately 10^28 kg, which is around 20 times the mass of Jupiter. If a planet collects sufficient hydrogen and achieves the necessary temperature and pressure, fusion could ignite in its core. This process hinges on both mass and composition, as a hydrogen-rich environment is essential. Ultimately, while the concept is intriguing, the practicalities of such a transformation are complex and unlikely.
JV
Messages
24
Reaction score
0
Would it be possible for a planet by collecting gas to become a star. I mean if it were to collect enough hydrogen, the temperature and the pressure at the surface of the planet could get high enough to start fusion ?
 
Astronomy news on Phys.org
The minimum mass required for spontaneous fusion is about 10^28 Kg [around 20x the mass of Jupiter]. Assuming the composition is amenable to fusion [lots of hydrogen], the core would ignite once the former planet accumulated the necessary mass.
 

Thread 'Does it make sense to build new radio telescopes?'

TL;DR Summary: In 3 years, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope (or rather, a system of telescopes) should be put into operation. In case of failure to detect alien signals, it will further expand the radius of the so-called silence (or rather, radio silence) of the Universe. Is there any sense in this or is blissful ignorance better? In 3 years, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope (or rather, a system of telescopes) should be put into operation. In case of failure to detect...
View full post »
Thread 'Could gamma-ray bursts have an intragalactic origin?'

Thread 'Could gamma-ray bursts have an intragalactic origin?'

This is indirectly evidenced by a map of the distribution of gamma-ray bursts in the night sky, made in the form of an elongated globe. And also the weakening of gamma radiation by the disk and the center of the Milky Way, which leads to anisotropy in the possibilities of observing gamma-ray bursts. My line of reasoning is as follows: 1. Gamma radiation should be absorbed to some extent by dust and other components of the interstellar medium. As a result, with an extragalactic origin, fewer...
View full post »

Thread 'Our Beautiful Universe - Photos and Videos'

This thread is dedicated to the beauty and awesomeness of our Universe. If you feel like it, please share video clips and photos (or nice animations) of space and objects in space in this thread. Your posts, clips and photos may by all means include scientific information; that does not make it less beautiful to me (n.b. the posts must of course comply with the PF guidelines, i.e. regarding science, only mainstream science is allowed, fringe/pseudoscience is not allowed). n.b. I start this...
View full post »

Similar threads

I How Can We Measure Properties of Distant Planets and Stars?
Replies
12
Views
2K
I What is the Possibility of Habitable Planets Around Brown Dwarfs?
Replies
6
Views
3K
I Why does the core collapse happen so fast in a supernova?
Replies
3
Views
3K
I The stellar system genesis & supernova cycle
Replies
1
Views
2K
I Expansion of a star to become a red giant
Replies
16
Views
3K
Stargazing What can I see with 10x50 binoculars in Bortle class 4?
Replies
4
Views
2K
I New Developments In The Search For Planet X
Replies
2
Views
3K
I What are the Dynamics and Impacts of a Type II Supernova?
Replies
11
Views
2K
B At what distance would a Venus-like planet have a HZ temperature?
Replies
14
Views
2K
I If humamoids lived around a flare red dwarf, would the flare kill them?
Replies
5
Views
2K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top