Technology, Books and Other Neat Stuff

The latest extrasolar planet to be announced is another "hot jupiter", but this time it's in a triple star system about 149 light years away...

"The fact that a planet can even exist in a multiple-star system is amazing in itself," Konacki said For one thing, the planet has to contend with the gravitational pull of three other bodies [the suns]. For another thing, the theories and models of solar-system formation suggest that planets are very unlikely to form in such environments.

Time to get back to the planetary formation drawing boards.



For recent SF involving hot jupiters, may I direct your attention towards Brenda Cooper and Larry Niven's collaboration Building Harlequin's Moon. It's a rather interesting tale of terraforming in a very hostile solar system...