You know how stars basically fuse hydrogen to form helium as a result of extreme pressure and heat due to gravitation forces?

And once stars start trying to fuse Iron, they become unstable and explode?


Well, would it be theoretically possible for a planet to form through years of collecting space debris, into a supermassive planet, thus exploding in the same manner by it's own sheer mass? Does it have to be a star that causes supernovas?



I mean, I really don't know


But isn't it theoretically possible for planets to gain so much heavy-element mass to become unstable?

Imago said:

Whatever the answer is, I support your decision 100%.

tinfoil hats, people. tinfoil hats

No, because they don't start to form that way in the first place - right?

benyamin said:

Some planets do form as a result of collecting debris, and collisions.



One of the things I've been reading, and I admit I'm completely a novice and way over my head about this, is that supermassive supernovas eject tons of heavier element material into space.

Though very unlikely, wouldn't it be possible that some of the heavier elements would combine to form supermassive and unstable planets that explode in their own supernova's?
I would imagine with the heavier elements, a planet even smaller than a red dwarf star could be unstable.

Imago said:

When you say that they form from collecting debris, that's at a specific point in a planet's already ongoing development that usually contributes to either the formation of a larger planet, or in deforming the planet's shape.

I think, like life on Earth, it would take a massive about of randomness and a set of very convenient coincidences for it to actually happen.

Okay Imago - you need SEX and LOTS of it - SOON


PLEASE

benyamin said:

Oh I completely agree. And I'm not saying that these would be likely occurances.

But aren't they theoretically possible? Or am I missing something since I don't really know much about astronomy or physics to do much more than speculate.

I just got an email selling gary numan concert tickets

Oh, it's another gay thread.

Booooom!!

It actually looks quite tasty. I wonder it you can eat it.

It's all fire and brimstone with you lately....

Mach said:

wow

Lay off the science channel my friend!

Muse2NOPharaoh said:

Steadwood said:

Actually, Arthur C. Clarke's 2061 speculates that within the core of Jupiter is a giant earth-sized diamond (since the pressure and heat is compressing carbon). or some weird theory like that. Fascinating.

Imago said:

Woooo Hooo! Jupiter Here I Come

I guess anythings possible given enough time.

morningsong said:

That's what I keep saying every morning when I crawl out of my otherwise empty bed

Dan, what's with this latest fascination with things no one gives a shit about?

Is everthing okay?

That's like asking,
If a preacher in a wetsuit were to to tie himself up & .....?

There is no real answer.

Illustrator said:

See, there had to be another person involved. Did you read all the belts, straps and other doohickies that were tied on this guy? Who, by the way, had his hands bound?

Dude might have died alone, but his day didn't start out that way.

RodeoSchro said:

where was Dan the day he died??? Why arent people asking the important questions???

Jupiter is super massive and it's not exploding. I would think it might almost be the other way around..wouldn't it not implode due tot he mass?

From Wikipedia...
A planet, as defined by the International Astronomical Union (IAU), is a celestial body orbiting a star or stellar remnant that is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity, not massive enough to cause thermonuclear fusion in its core, and has cleared its neighbouring region of planetesimals.

A star is a massive, luminous ball of plasma. A star shines because nuclear fusion in its core releases energy which traverses the star's interior and then radiates into outer space. Almost all elements heavier than hydrogen and helium were created inside the cores of stars

A star begins as a collapsing cloud of material that is composed primarily of hydrogen along with some helium and heavier trace elements. Once the stellar core is sufficiently dense, some of the hydrogen is steadily converted into helium through the process of nuclear fusion. The remainder of the star's interior carries energy away from the core through a combination of radiative and convective processes. These processes keep the star from collapsing upon itself and the energy generates a stellar wind at the surface and radiation into outer space.



So I think it's what is the definition of planets and stars. I don't think a planet can become a star based on it's definition.