Are there any stars orbiting planets?

griffinj

It would seem to be a matter of relative size. The sun's gravitational pull holds the planets in orbit because the sun is so much larger, just as planets hold their respective moons. I don't believe there is any known case of a larger body orbiting a smaller one. (I know this is a gross simplification and await with baited breath further clarification.) Apr 17 04, 11:51 AM

Arpeggionist

I actually read somewhere that someone did find such a case of a planet so big that it and its star were orbiting each other. Sounds kind of strange. But a planet like that almost certainly could not support life. Apr 18 04, 1:11 AM

peasypod

Even the sun and earth are in orbit around each other. Two masses orbit around a point called the barycentre, which is nearer the more massive object (determined by relative mass). In essence, no planet orbits a stationary star, each orbits the barycentre which is very close to the more massive body (the star in this case). The situation becomes more complicated for multiple planets, but is essentially the same. Apr 19 04, 7:34 AM

sequoianoir

RE: "Even the sun and earth are in orbit around each other" What you say about the barycentre is true Peas, but only half the truth and it does not reverse which object is orbiting which. The Earth and the Moon have a barycentre but because of the relative distance & masses of the 2 bodies, it is within the radius of the Earth. What this means is that because of the Earth/Moon barycentre, the Earth "wobbles" in its orbit around the Sun. The Sun has a barycentre with everything orbiting it. So that means it has thousands of them, however they are ALL (with 1 exception) within the radius of the Sun. Only the Sun / Jupiter barycentre is just outside the body of the Sun itself. Apr 19 04, 12:19 PM

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How many planets to date have been observed orbiting stars other than the Sun? Why do stars twinkle and planets don't? Are there any planets out past Pluto in our solar system? And, if so, what is it called? What is the largest satellite orbiting the Earth?

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