Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 6/4/83; site PSUVM.BITNET Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!psuvax1!psuvm!gms From: GMS@PSUVM.BITNET Newsgroups: net.astro Subject: re:planet discovered around another star Message-ID: <1352GMS@PSUVM> Date: Sun, 16-Dec-84 23:13:11 EST Article-I.D.: PSUVM.1352GMS Posted: Sun Dec 16 23:13:11 1984 Date-Received: Tue, 18-Dec-84 02:11:59 EST Lines: 47 I believe that there is some controversy surrounding the apparant discovery of a 'planet' orbiting another star in Ophiuchus. The controversy is not concerning the object itself, for it is most certainly there, but rather what to call it. To be rather picky about names, this object should be termed a 'brown dwarf' rather than a planet. Current theories of solar system formation include the probable existance of such objects. It could be still condensing, and may one day shed its outer atmosphere to shine (albeit faintly) as a red dwarf star. With an upper-atmosphere temperature of about 2000 degrees (Farenheit, Celsius or Kelvin???) this object is certainly undergoing fusion at its center. It has been speculated that if the planet Jupiter were more massive (I believe by a factor of four) that it too would generate enough contraction heat to ignite thermonuclear reactions, and hence become a star. (Does that make it a semi-protostar?) At any rate, I am mentioning this nitpicky argument primarily in response to some people who have said that the nitpicky argument is really being generated by astronomers who are jealous at not having found the first planet themselves. I disagree. I have been fortunate enough to work with the astronomers at Allegheny Observatory, who are in the process of searching for planets with a new instrument that achieves astrometric measurements of unprecidented precision, enough to accurately scan near space (up to about 10 parsecs) for even Earth-sized planets. (Assuming other factors too numerous to mention here.) Although I applaud the achievements of the astronomers who discovered the first 'brown dwarf', lets recognize it for what it is. The brown dwarf is no more a planet than were the rings of dust discovered by IRAS around Vega and Fomulhaut. The discovery of the brown dwarf, DOES lend even more observational evidence to current theories of star and solar system formation, and lends support to the argument that there may be planets surrounding most stars. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Gerry Santoro Microcomputer Information and Support Center GMS @ PSUVM (bitnet) Penn State University !psuvax1!santoro (UUCP) 101 Computer Building santoro @ penn-state (CSNET) University Park, PA 16802 (814) 863-4356