Hot Jupiters & Kepler's Laws: Does it Violate?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around whether hot Jupiters violate Kepler's laws of planetary motion, exploring the implications of general relativity and deviations from classical mechanics in orbital dynamics.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested, Conceptual clarification, Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants assert that hot Jupiters do not violate Kepler's laws, questioning the premise of the original inquiry.
  • One participant raises a related question about the consistency of Kepler's laws with general relativity at the energy levels relevant to hot Jupiters, noting their proximity to Mercury's orbit.
  • Another participant emphasizes that no object follows Kepler's laws exactly due to various deviations, including those introduced by general relativity.
  • A comparison is made regarding the measurable effects of general relativity on Mercury's orbit versus the gravitational influences of other planets, particularly Jupiter, suggesting that these influences can be significant.
  • It is noted that while deviations from classical mechanics exist, they are typically small for objects orbiting regular stars.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally disagree on the implications of hot Jupiters in relation to Kepler's laws, with some defending the laws' applicability while others question their consistency under certain conditions. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the specific impacts of general relativity and other factors on these orbits.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include the lack of specificity regarding the conditions under which Kepler's laws might be considered violated and the varying interpretations of the impacts of general relativity and other planetary influences.

jordankonisky
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Do hot Jupiter's violate Kepler's laws?
 
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No, of course not. Why would you think that they do?
 
phyzguy said:
No, of course not. Why would you think that they do?
I'm not really sure about this. Let me ask a similar question: Are Keplars Laws consistent with general relativity at the energy level of hot jupiters? Most hot Jupiters lie far inside of Mercurys orbit, which itself does not follow Newtons laws.
 
I guess it depends on the level of accuracy you are talking about. No object follows Kepler's laws exactly, since there are deviations from simple orbital mechanics, of which GR is only one. That's why I wanted the OP to specify why he thought the hot Jupiters would violate Kepler's laws. Perhaps I should not have said "of course".
 
Just as comparison: While the effect of general relativity on the orbit of Mercury is measurable, the impact of the other planets (mainly Jupiter) is at least 10 times larger. "At least" because there are multiple ways to quantify the impact, with different results.

Nothing follows laws based on classical mechanics exactly, but the deviations are tiny if things orbit regular stars.
 

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