Did you know: Jupiter is so massive that its center of mass with the Sun lies just above the Sun’s surface,
meaning Jupiter and the Sun orbit a point in empty space?
due to Jupiter's mass, the center of mass (barycenter) for the Sun and Jupiter is located just outside the Sun's surface, about 1.07 solar radii from the Sun's center. This means that both the Sun and Jupiter are actually orbiting a point in space, not the Sun's center itself.
Here's a more detailed explanation: Barycenter: The barycenter is the point where two or more objects orbit each other. It's the center of mass for the system. Jupiter's Mass: Jupiter is incredibly massive, being 2.5 times more massive than all the other planets in our solar system combined. Barycenter Location: Because of Jupiter's mass, its shared barycenter with the Sun is slightly outside the Sun's surface, about 48,700 km (30,270 miles) above the Sun's surface. Orbiting the Barycenter: Both the Sun and Jupiter orbit this point in space, not the Sun's center
The best example i have found is two figureskaters holding onto each other by the hands and spinning together. I once did a science project with my son showing the same effect using the moon and the earth and pushing a drawing pin through the barycenter so everyone could see the whole thing spin..😷
@fun4us2b Yes, sort of… As I recall Jupiter would need to be a minimum of 5 to 10 times its mass to even be a brown dwarf, and significantly larger to be a dwarf star.
@Bexsy Just wanted to mention, in case I never have or haven’t in awhile, that you play a HUGE role in making this site so enjoyable. Now I know you’re gonna get all modest and say it’s a group effort, but it certainly wouldn’t be the same around here without you. 🤗
@OlderSometimesWiser well, it is a group thing. So many amazing funny people here. They make me smile or laugh and don't even know it, and you're one of them!
But, thank you. You have no idea how nice that is to hear that today 🤗❤
