Scientists discover "puffy light" planet

[azurnoir]

Not a joke, marshmallow world wonder what inhabits this world?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060914/ap_on_sc/puffy_planet

[Blackthorn]

1. Nothing extraordinary.

"The largest planet ever found orbiting another star is so puffy it would float on water, astronomers said Thursday."

The same applies to Saturn. The size is what's interesting.

"HAT-P-1 is an oddball planet, since it orbits its parent star at just one-twentieth of the distance that separates Earth from our own sun. While Earth takes a year to orbit the sun, the newly found planet whips around its star once every 4.5 days."

It's not oddball. It's an undeveloped binary star. In star creation, any clouds of dust above a certain weight that start rotating will turn into stars. Jupiter is about 70% of that critical mass. This planet is far closer to that limit but never got over the line.

[azurnoir]

3. Saturn would float?

Didn't know that. Thanks

[Posteritatis]

2. That's not that odd, really

Given a big enough ocean, Saturn's light enough to float on water too, at an average density of 0.69g/cm^3.

Given HAT-P-1 orbiting at 0.05 AUs from its parent star and is almost certainly a gas giant, I rather doubt if anything could survive on it. Though I gotta admit the weather there would be spectacular enough to make Saturn, or even Jupiter, look sedate...

[azurnoir]

4. Dumb question

remembering high school science which obviously I just did, wouldn't anything with a density of less than 1g/cm^3 float on water?

[Posteritatis]

5. Assuming pure water, yeah. (n/t)

[samsingh]

6. the Universe is so incredibly complex

there has to be life out there.

we've discovered so many large planets in a few years. the small, Earth sized ones, are probably harder to detect.

[NuttyFluffers]

7. Marshmallow Bunnies & Marshmallow Kitty Cats!

ruled by cruel (but adorable!) Marshmallow Demon Overlords! and ginormous Hello Kitties are their battle steeds! :D their wars involve a lot of bouncing and squeaky noises... gumdrops and frosting are their bricks and mortar! their speech involves high pitched mumbling, cloyish body language, and eye fluttering! it's a veritable embodiment of Hell!
:evilgrin:

****must write new hypercute slash fiction, NOW!****

[longship]

8. The "Peeps" planet. All Peeps, all the time.

Here's the whole story RIGHT HERE!!

Peeps on the Peeps planet sleep upside down.


An album cover from the latest hot recording.
Number one on the "Peeple Magazine" poll


Peep gladiators

[NuttyFluffers]

11. ooh! pictures of vice already from planet marshmallow!

they have plantations! to satisfy their vices! their factories must be awash with cuteness -- and not a sharp corner anywhere!


they like to mix their vices! here's smoking and drinking! and combusting!

surviving the peer pressure of the teen years can be tough on planet Mallow!

[sakabatou]

9. How would a gas giant be that close

And nopt have its atmosphere stripped away or burnt off?

[geomon666]

12. Strong magnetic field?

That would imply mass though wouldn't it? In other words, I have no clue.

[SoCalDem]

10. Inhabitant of Planet Sta-Puff...