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A Planet That Orbits Its Star the Wrong Way
Smivs writes "BBC News is reporting that astronomers have discovered the first planet that orbits in the opposite direction to the spin of its star. Planets form out of the same swirling gas cloud that creates a star, so they are expected to orbit in the same direction that the star rotates. The new planet is thought to have been flung into its 'retrograde' orbit by a close encounter with either another planet or with a passing star. The work has been submitted to the Astrophysical Journal for publication. Co-author Coel Hellier, from Keele University in Staffordshire, UK, said planets with retrograde orbits were thought to be rare. 'With everything [in the star system] swirling around the same way and the star spinning the same way, you have to do quite a lot to it to make it go in the opposite direction.' Professor Hellier said a near-collision was probably responsible for this planet's unusual orbit. 'If you have a near-collision, then you'll have a large gravitational slingshot from that interaction,' he explained. 'This is the likeliest explanation. But it might be possible you can do it by gradually perturbing the orbit through the influence of a second planet. So far, we haven't found any evidence of a second planet there.'"
Doesn't everything rotate backwards if its from down under?
The sun is the same in a relative way, but you are shorter of breath and one day closer to death
All the other planets keep pointing and saying "You're doing it wrong!"
Anybody want my mod points?
Sun's don't go both ways. They're all either straight or gay.
Sleep your way to a whiter smile...date a dentist!
A rouge planet
What does Mars have to do with this?
This evokes that scene from "Trains Planes and Automobiles"......
Tsukasa: All I really want, is to be left alone...
Sun's don't go both ways. They're all either straight or gay.
Maybe, but who's to say it can't be turned? It's orbital ring got invaded by a foreign object. Maybe this particular sun, you know, liked the experience?
Ahh - My eye!
The doctor said I'm not supposed to get Slashdot in it!
What happens if it goes to plaid, though?