Star Life Cycles - Gas Giant Planets
Stars and NebulaeIndex
Interstellar Clouds Questions Credits Links Michael Gallagher August 2002 July 2007 |
After Edward Martin et Al, American Scientist 1997 Gas giant planets are interstellar cloud condensates that have fallen well short of becoming stars. They form from relatively small amounts of gas. They are warmed by internal gravitational pressures. They are too small for nuclear fusion to commence. There are four gas giants in the Solar System and astronomers have detected around a hundred others orbiting nearby stars. Gas giants may form in free space. They are extremely dim. Astronomers are uncertain if any free space gas giants have so far been detected. Gas Giant Planet Details Mass: up to 0.02 Suns (20 Jupiters) Surface Temperature: 50° to 900° K Lifetime: Trillions of years. End point: Gradual loss of heat and slow fade to a dark body. |
