Sentences with phrase «formed in close orbits»

On February 25, 2008, a team of astronomers released a paper on simulation results which support the conclusions of previous studies that multiple - planet systems could have formed in close orbits around both heavy - element rich, Alpha Centauri A and B.

Not exact matches

This group of worlds has stayed in flat, circular orbits right where they were formed, unperturbed by the goings - on closer to the sun.

The bulk of the solar system's regular satellites — those moons that stick close to their planets in roughly equatorial orbits — formed this way, rather than taking shape simultaneously with the planets as a direct result of planet formation, French astrophysicists have concluded.

To begin with, they orbited close to the plane of the ecliptic in the same direction as the planets, but their orbits were deformed by the galaxy's tidal force and by interactions with nearby stars, gradually becoming more inclined and forming a more or less spherical reservoir,» Morais said.

To explain them, theorists have invoked a maneuver called the grand tack, in which Jupiter originally formed closer to the sun, drifted inward almost to the orbit of Earth, and then drifted out again to its current position.

While they formed in the same timeframe, Deimos and Phobos are very small, with diameters of only 7.5 miles and 14 miles respectively, and orbit very close to Mars.

But then large, rocky worlds were spotted orbiting near their stars, making it more likely that hot Jupiters also formed closer in.

The modelling suggested that a Neptune - like planet actually formed much closer to Vega and was pushed by a Jupiter - like planet in an inner orbit out to its current wide orbit around 80 AUs away from Vega over about 56 million years, sweeping many comets out with it and causing the dust disk to become clumpy (Mark C. Wyatt, 2003).

Traditionally, astronomers focus on how close a particular exoplanet's mass is to Earth's, and whether its orbit is in a «Goldilocks zone,» i.e. where water can exist in liquid form.

A gassy planet will form on the far side of the frost line, orbit for a while, and then gradually move inward, pulled in closer by the star.

While they formed in the same timeframe, Deimos and Phobos are very small, with diameters of only 7.5 miles and 14 miles respectively [12 km and 23 km], and orbit very close to Mars.