2006-09-14 07:29:55 · 4 answers · asked by Jason D 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
I didnt know there is a puffer planer....... lalala
2006-09-14 07:37:02 · answer #1 · answered by Roxy 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
That is not a scientific term. It is just what the news media are calling the recently discovered low density planet orbiting another star. I think puffer refers to the fact that it is "puffed up" be the heat of the star that it is orbiting so near. We know the mass of the planet because the Doppler shift of the light of the star it is orbiting tells us how much its gravity is moving that star. We know the diameter of the planet by the amount of starlight it blocks when it passes in front of that star as seen from Earth. These two numbers allow us to compute its density. It turns out the density is less than water. By the way, Saturn in our own solar system is also less dense than water, even though it is not near the Sun, but I have never heard Saturn called a "puffer planet".
2006-09-14 07:40:23 · answer #2 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
it is a special planet and hard to know
2006-09-17 01:08:08 · answer #3 · answered by david w 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
???
2006-09-14 07:48:40 · answer #4 · answered by cosmo 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋