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Scientific Method / Science & Exploration

Atmospheres of four exoplanets analyzed

One star, four very different bodies orbiting it.














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  1. Jarron wrote:
    The orbital distances are measured to be about 68, 42, and 27 AU for b, c, and d, respectively. b and c are similar to the range of Pluto's orbit. The Oort Cloud is theorized to be about 5,000-50,000AU from the Sun. Perhaps you meant Kuiper Belt, which would be consistent with the location of c?

    Oops wrong term (blushing). c is 'only' about where Pluto would be at aphelion. But still, the scale of that image just boggles.
    1653 posts | registered
  2. Dr. Jay wrote:
    pr0t0 wrote:
    Exosolar system? Why not just call it a star system? Since we aren't referencing Sol (our star) it would go without saying that the system in question is not our star system.

    A star system is a set of stars in orbit around their mutual center of mass. This clearly isn't that. A planetary system would be a single star and a collection of planets, but wouldn't include the debris disk or any larger, non-planetary objects in it. Right now, all the technical terms we had simply aren't very descriptive, which is why i suspect we'll have to adopt new ones.

    My personal bet is that we'll eventually drop the exo, and just make solar system a generic term, and Solar System our specific ones. But we're doing our best to see what actual astronomers are using, and will adapt our language to fit theirs.

    Upper and lower case have no significant meaning to those of us non-science savvy people. They read "Sun" and "sun" the same. They may ask was it a typo, why lower case? Beside, are all other science article writers are as precise as you are? After a few beers, "s" looks pretty much like "S" to them anyway. "exosolar system" with no doubt makes no mistake it meant to be the solar system other than our own. My 2 cents. :-)

    Bernardo Verda wrote:
    Plastic? What's that?
    Surely you don't mean modelling clay? Why would one use that?

    The majority casing of cell phone made of Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or short for plastic as a generic term. The term "plastic" are more widely used than "PVC" among those people who are English as their second language. It's easier for them to say plastic than Polyvinyl chloride. Perhaps you haven't deal with too many aliens? :-)
    4337 posts | registered
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