Jupiter Cannibalised Baby Planets To Become Our Solar System's Largest Planet

The largest planet in our solar system, Jupiter may have cannibalised multiple baby planets, a new study has found. Turns out, you don't become the largest planet in a solar system by being nice.

A new study published this month sheds light on Jupiter's massive gravitational pull and how it may have absorbed smaller planets into its gaseous atmosphere. In cosmic terms, this may be seen as the equivalent of eating or cannibalising - a very common phenomenon in space.

The study looked through the planet's cloud cover to observe the material making up Jupiter's core. To everyone's surprise, the planet's core apparently contained heavy elements, suggesting that it may have consumed smaller planets.

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Using spacecraft data to assess Jupiter

"Juno provided very accurate gravity data that helped us to constrain the distribution of the material in Jupiter's interior... It is very unique data that we can only get with a spacecraft orbiting around the planet," Yamila Miguel, the study's lead researcher told LiveScience.

For long, scientists have believed that the gas giant formed as a result of such cannibalisation of smaller planets (planetesimals), or through accidental crashes into the planet's atmosphere (space pebbles).

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Also read:?Jupiter's Moon Europa May Be Home To Killer Jellyfish, Scientists Find

Using computer models, the team analysed data provided by probes like Juno and Galileo. Then, they measured the planet's gravitational field at different points to find heavy elements in Jupiter's core.

"Juno provided very accurate gravity data that helped us to constrain the distribution of the material in Jupiter's interior... It is very unique data that we can only get with a spacecraft orbiting around the planet," Miguel added.

NASA

Also read:?One Of Jupiter's 79 Moons Probably Has Alien Life, Claims Physics-Based Simulation

What do you think about Jupiter eating its smaller friends? Let us know in the comments below.?For more in the world of?technology?and?science, keep reading?Indiatimes.com.

References

Baker, H. (2022, June 16). Scientists find remains of cannibalized baby planets in Jupiter’s cloud-covered belly. Livescience.Com.?

Barnhardt, A. (2022, June 20). Researchers Think Jupiter Cannibalized a Bunch of Baby Planets. IRL.?