Two suns?

[TMac3000]

It has been often said that Jupiter was a star that failed. In the book 2010: Odyssey Two, it became a sun.

My question is this. If this happened for real, what would be the implications for the rest of the solar system? Obviously we would be in a binary system, but how would it effect the climate and other aspects of life on Earth?

One thing is for sure: it would be a hell of a thing for backyard astronomers like me to witness.

 

[garyw]

Jupiter isn't even close to being a brown dwarf. It needs around five times it's current mass to even be considered to be close to being a star.

 

[T.Neo]

Jupiter isn't even close to being a brown dwarf. It needs around five times it's current mass to even be considered to be close to being a star.

Not when you have alien monolith technology.

It would be interesting to have a 2010 event for real. I'd love to see it's effects on the dynamics of the solar system.

 

[Hielor]

Not when you have alien monolith technology.

It would be interesting to have a 2010 event for real. I'd love to see it's effects on the dynamics of the solar system.

Technically, since it would have the same mass that it does now, the "dynamics" of the solar system wouldn't change.

 

[Linguofreak]

It has been often said that Jupiter was a star that failed. In the book 2010: Odyssey Two, it became a sun.

My question is this. If this happened for real, what would be the implications for the rest of the solar system?

The problem with answering that question is that it's not specific enough.

Are you wanting to drop a full fleged star into Jupiter's orbit? If so, how big?

Are you wanting to technomagically heat Jupiter up at its present size? The problem with this is that you can specify (almost) any parameters you like as far as luminosity and so forth, and so the effects can vary widely depending on what exactly you specify. I suppose the most likely thing you'd be trying to do is duplicate the parameters of Clarke's novel as exactly as possible.

 

[T.Neo]

Technically, since it would have the same mass that it does now, the "dynamics" of the solar system wouldn't change.

Yes.
From a orbital mechanics perspective.

But I'm talking about the environmental perspective; i.e. what would happen to the moons, etc.

 

[RisingFury]

Jupiter isn't even close to being a brown dwarf. It needs around five times it's current mass to even be considered to be close to being a star.

Actually, the number is between 13 and 15 times it's own mass.

 

[garyw]

Thanks for the correction RisingFury

 

[SlyCoopersButt]

I believe what happened in 2010 was Jupiter got compressed down to critical mass. Much like when high explosives compress cores in nuclear weapons. However I think as soon as whatever artificially compresses Jupiter is gone it would expand and die.

 

[RisingFury]

I believe what happened in 2010 was Jupiter got compressed down to critical mass. Much like when high explosives compress cores in nuclear weapons. However I think as soon as whatever artificially compresses Jupiter is gone it would expand and die.

If whatever compressed Jupiter suddenly let go, it would probably blow up

 

[TMac3000]

The problem with answering that question is that it's not specific enough.

Are you wanting to drop a full fleged star into Jupiter's orbit? If so, how big?

Are you wanting to technomagically heat Jupiter up at its present size? The problem with this is that you can specify (almost) any parameters you like as far as luminosity and so forth, and so the effects can vary widely depending on what exactly you specify. I suppose the most likely thing you'd be trying to do is duplicate the parameters of Clarke's novel as exactly as possible.

Admittedly, it's hard to imagine what sort of event could possibly heat up Jupiter enough to make it fuse, but if that happened, I suppose it would start as a hot blue star, like most other new-born stars. Certainly, the innermost moons would be destroyed in the explosion, and it's doubtful that even the outer moons would survive.

Okay, so suppose some sort of super-hot comet or something did a Shoemaker-Levy 9, only 10^5500 times worse, and fused the planet

If this sounds stupid, just tell me and I'll back off. But it find it interesting to think about how this would affect the rest of the solar system, particularly life on Earth.

 

[Andy44]

Actually, it would affect orbit dynamics slightly, since Junior (that's what I'm calling the Jupiter-star) would be throwing off a lot of star light and stellar wind particles. The inner moons of Jupiter would obviously be the mist affected.

About it's effect on Earth, I think I would be angry at the monolith people for Junior's new light pollution in my night sky.

 

[Linguofreak]

Admittedly, it's hard to imagine what sort of event could possibly heat up Jupiter enough to make it fuse, but if that happened, I suppose it would start as a hot blue star, like most other new-born stars.

No, most newborn stars are not blue.

Blue stars are just the ones that live so fast that they die while still newborn.

Certainly, the innermost moons would be destroyed in the explosion, and it's doubtful that even the outer moons would survive.

Most likely there would not be an explosion, though if you got it too bright it would likely slough off most of its mass in a very short time.

Okay, so suppose some sort of super-hot comet or something did a Shoemaker-Levy 9, only 10^5500 times worse, and fused the planet

If this sounds stupid, just tell me and I'll back off. But it find it interesting to think about how this would affect the rest of the solar system, particularly life on Earth.

It really depends alot on exactly what you're talking about. If it just gets bright enough to heat Europa to Earthlike temperatures (which I believe is what happened in the novel 2010), all that happens at Earth is that Jupiter now appears really really bright.

If it's giving off as much energy as the sun (or more accurately as much power, which is energy per unit time) then it will probably effect things pretty significantly at Earth (as well, probably, as dissasembling Jupiter fairly quickly).

 

[Hartmann]

I think that all moons of jupiter would be destroyed in the case that jupiter have enough mass to burn like the sun, and probably heat a bit saturn ( titan ) and mars.

In orbiter it can´t be done yet with the actual graphic engine, but it would be nice have a "real" sun in orbiter.

All planets have high res textures with surface details but the most dinamic place in the solar system is still a white ball of light in orbiter.

The magnificence of our Star

 

[RSWingman]

In 2010, it's name was Lucifer.

I think if it was large enough, and formed a binary system with Sol (where they revolve around each other in a mutual dance), things would change drastically.

 

[Suzy]

There's always Nemesis

 

[NukeET]

One thing is for sure: it would be a hell of a thing for backyard astronomers like me to witness.

Wouldn't that ruin most of your backyard observation sessions?

 

[Ark]

I imagine things would get rather hot around here during the portion of the year that Earth is closest to Jupiter.

 

[RisingFury]

If at formation Jupiter accumulated the mass it needs to start nuclear reactions, that would probably sweep other planets away. It would be possible for the mega-Jupiter to have it's moons (or maybe we'd have to invent a new word for that).

A few days ago I found a double-double star system in Celestia. 2 binary star systems orbiting each other. I will post the name of one of the stars in the system when I'm back at my computer...

 

[David]

@Hartmann -

Thanks for the cool video. I LOVE the music; can anyone identify it?