planets wandering stars

Our night sky is full of wonders. When you look up you can see the stars, the Moon, and sometimes even other planets! We know what these otherworldly objects are because of centuries of research carried out by curious stargazers before us.  

Ancient peoples from across the Earth only knew about five of the planets: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. To the people of some ancient civilizations, the planets were thought to be representations of deities, for others they were a means through which gods communicated to humans. The Romans named the planets based qualities they displayed that resembled certain deities. For example, Venus was bright and beautiful, so it was named after the goddess of beauty. Mars was red and ominous, so it was named after the god of war. We still use the Roman names for the planets today.

Ancient civilizations did not have the powerful telescopes we use today. To their unaided eyes, these planets looked like the other stars that dotted the skies. But there was a difference in the way some of these stars moved. While all the stars in the sky move east to west as our Earth rotates, planets also move within their own orbit. This causes them to appear to wander throughout the night sky when compared to other stars, which move in a fixed position each day. For this reason, the Greeks referred to the planets as wandering stars. Our word "planet" comes from the Greek word planetes , meaning "wanderer." 

What’s at the Center of Our Solar System: The Earth or the Sun?  

The Greco-Roman astronomer Ptolemy came up with a theory for the solar system in the second century C.E. This theory survived for next 1,400 years. The ancient Greek philosophers Plato and Aristotle had previously introduced the idea that the heavens move in perfect circles. However, their theories were unable to account for some of the behaviors of the planets, like retrograde movement—when planets seemingly moved backward. 

In Ptolemy’s book, Almagest , he made their theory work by offsetting the center of the planetary spheres and then adding additional smaller circles for the planets to move in on top of the circles they moved in around the Earth. This theory was accurate to a point, describing the apparent motions of the planet from the perspective of Earth, and accounted for changes in the planets’ brightness. Ptolemy’s theory, while ultimately incorrect, was the dominant view until the Renaissance. However, that does not mean it was not questioned and modified by others. As early as the 10th century, Islamic astronomers saw problems with Ptolemy's planetary hypothesis. They developed new mathematical tools that made it work even better. And these tools were later adopted by European astronomers.

Diagrams illustrating Ptolemy’s planetary system.

In the 1500s, Nicolaus Copernicus, borrowing the mathematical tools developed by Islamic astronomers, broke with centuries of tradition when he argued that the Sun, not the Earth, was at the center of our Solar System. Copernicus was correct about the Sun, but he was not the first one to have this idea. About 1100 years earlier, the Greek astronomer Aristarchus came up with the same theory, but Ptolemy rejected the theory and Aristarchus was ignored. Copernicus was also still tied to the idea that the planets moved in a perfectly circular motion. 

Copernicus’s theory arranged the Earth and the five planets that were known in the correct order. The planets were shown to revolve around the Sun in circular orbits. It was not until 1609 that the German astronomer, Johannes Kepler, described planetary paths correctly as ellipses, or oval shaped.  However, there were many competing views of the arrangement of the universe during this period, and Copernicus himself did not release his manuscript for publication until he was on his deathbed.   

Telescopes Put Things into Focus 

Until the development of the telescope in the early 1600s, all astronomical observations were made with the naked eye. When Galileo Galilei turned his telescope to the sky in 1609, planetary astronomy became a new and different science.  

Telescopes were in use for many years before it was known how exactly they worked. The first theory of the telescope was written by noted astronomer Johannes Kepler in his 1610 book Dioptrice. One challenge astronomers faced was the distortion of the lenses used by telescopes. To correct for this distortion, telescopes became longer and longer. Telescopes longer than 30 meters (100 feet) were not uncommon.  

Sir Isaac Newton designed a reflecting telescope to overcome the color distortions produced by lenses. His telescope focused light with a concave mirror rather than by lenses. The telescope no longer needed to be a long and unwieldy tool.  

To the unaided eye, Venus appears to be just a point of light. Galileo observed Venus through a telescope and found the planet to have phases similar to the Moon. Early in 1610, Galileo observed four "stars" near Jupiter with his telescope. The motions of the stars relative to Jupiter led Galileo to the conclusion that they were moons of the giant planet. These moons — Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto — are known today as the Galilean satellites in honor of their discoverer. 

Custom Image Caption

The planet Venus, as seen through our 16-inch Boller and Chivens telescope. The image was taken at 3 o'clock in the afternoon on August 29, 2010. Venus has a thick atmosphere that obscures surface features. The atmosphere reflects sunlight very well, making it very bright. Venus has phases like the moon, and is shown here as a waning crescent. (Smithsonian Institution)

This image of Venus was taken with the Public Observatory's 16 inch Boller & Chivens telescope at 10:00 AM on November 11, 2010. Here, Venus is a waxing crescent. Over the next few months, Venus will move farther away from the Earth in its orbit around the Sun, allowing us to see more and more of its daytime side. (Smithsonian Institution)

This image of Venus was taken at 10:00 in the morning using our 16-inch Boller and Chivens telescope. In this image, Venus is a waxing crescent, on it's way further away from the Earth. (Smithsonian Institution)

Discovering the Rest of our Solar System 

Before the 1700s, humans had only identified five planets besides our own in the night sky. The planet Uranus was discovered by a British astronomer named Sir William Herschel on March 13, 1781. Uranus had been observed many times previously, but it was always thought to be another star.  

William Herschel built his own telescopes, including one which had a focal length of 6 meters (20 feet) and a larger telescope of the same design with a 12 meter (40 foot) focal length. Uranus was discovered to be a planet accidentally while Herschel was surveying all stars down to magnitude eight. These were stars that are about ten times dimmer than can be seen by the naked eye. One of these “stars” looked different than the others. Within a year it was shown to have a planetary orbit 18 times father from the Sun than Earth. The new planet was named Uranus after the father of Saturn in Roman mythology.  

Uranus and the dwarf planet Ceres were discovered by accident. Neptune, however, was not. Astronomers proposed that a planet beyond Uranus could account for irregularities in its orbit. Independently two astronomers calculated the position of this yet unknown planet. The two astronomers were John Couch Adams in England and Urbain-Jean-Joseph Le Verrier in France. 

The search began. A British astronomer James Challis, using Adams' predictions, observed the planet on the night of August 4, 1846, but failed to compare his observations with those of the previous night and did not recognize the planet. On September 23, 1846, the planet was finally found on the first try by the German astronomer Johann Galle using Le Verrier's predictions. 

Several astronomers interpreted the irregularities in the orbits of Uranus and Neptune as being caused by a more distant planet. Among these astronomers was the American Percival Lowell. Lowell started the search for this planet. He purchased a Carl Zeiss blink comparator, used to find differences between two photographs of the night sky, in 1911. In 1930, one of Lowell’s successors used that same instrument to finally find the planet, which would later be named Pluto. While Clyde Tombaugh was the person who eventually found Pluto, Lowell is credited with initiating the search. Today we define Pluto as a dwarf planet rather than a planet like Earth or Jupiter. 

What of the Moon? Do other planets have moons like Earth does? In 1900, the planets in our solar system were known to have 22 natural satellites, or moons. The number of known moons has now quadrupled and is still increasing. Likewise, astronomers also discovered new features of some planets. The rings of planets, such as those of Saturn, are a system of countless small satellites. In 1977, it was discovered that Uranus was encircled by a system of rings. Uranus' rings were discovered because they blocked a star from view as Uranus passed between the Earth and the star. The discovery of Uranus' rings occurred through observations made from the Kuiper Airborne Observatory. 

Today astronomers continue to research our solar system and beyond. While our ancestors may have been focused on identifying the objects in our celestial neighborhood, we now have the technology to look even further. In the 1990s, the first exoplanets were discovered. Exoplanets are planets that are in orbit around a star that is different than our own (the Sun). Since then, astronomers have identified the location of over 5,000 other exoplanets and predict there are billions more!  

We rely on the generous support of donors, sponsors, members, and other benefactors to share the history and impact of aviation and spaceflight, educate the public, and inspire future generations.  With your help, we can continue to preserve and safeguard the world’s most comprehensive collection of artifacts representing the great achievements of flight and space exploration.

• Get Involved
• Host an Event

Thank you. You have successfully signed up for our newsletter.

Error message, sorry, there was a problem. please ensure your details are valid and try again..

• Free Timed-Entry Passes Required
• Terms of Use

Why planets are referred to as wandering stars in astronomy

Our home is located on Earth, which is one of the eight major planets within our solar system. Apart from Earth, the Sun’s extensive family consists of Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. These planets are relatively smaller in size compared to the Sun, and they orbit around it. They are visible to us because they reflect some of the sunlight that reaches them. This brings up the question, why are planets called wandering stars? (Nowadays, they are referred to as “wandering luminaries.”) What is the connection between planets and stars, and why do they wander?

Stars and Planets: Similar but Different

It’s evident that stars and planets belong to distinct categories. Stars are enormous, gas-filled celestial bodies that emit light due to their extreme heat. On the other hand, planets, such as those found in our solar system, do not emit light as they are too cold for that (although they can be detected in infrared light!). Additionally, planets can have different compositions, ranging from gas giants like Jupiter to rocky planets like Mars and Earth, and even predominantly metallic ones like Mercury. Despite not glowing like stars, humans have been aware of the existence of planets for thousands of years.

But why is this so? It’s because planets reflect sunlight, making them visible to us in the sky .

Until 500 years ago, people had little knowledge about the nature of planets. There was a lack of understanding regarding their size, composition, and even their distance from Earth. However, observers could still identify what appeared to be planets in the night sky. Ancient astronomers closely observed these celestial bodies and documented their behavior.

So, what do planets look like when observed without the aid of a telescope? They resemble ordinary stars, to the point that individuals not particularly interested in astronomy would struggle to differentiate them. For instance, Saturn would appear indistinguishable from other stars to the naked eye. Although planets like Jupiter or Venus are noticeably brighter than typical stars, it still required additional knowledge to recognize them as planets rather than extremely luminous stars.

Stars that Wander: Planets

The ancient people possessed the wisdom to differentiate between planets and stars, recognizing that planets were not fixed like the stars in the sky.

While planets may appear similar to stars, they possess a remarkable quality – they are constantly in motion against the backdrop of the static stars.

The stars themselves remain stationary, unless we consider the daily movement of the stars from east (where they rise) to west (where they set). The planets, along with the Moon and the Sun, also experience this daily motion. Nowadays, we understand that this universal east-west movement of the sky is caused by the Earth rotating on its axis. However, no matter how much you observe the sky with the naked eye, you cannot detect any additional motion in the stars. Our ancient ancestors were well aware of the fact that the stars do not change their position. This is why the depictions of constellations have remained virtually unchanged for thousands of years.

It is of utmost significance that the celestial bodies exhibit distinct patterns of motion: certain planets traverse their orbits at a rapid pace, while others move at a more leisurely pace. Notably, there are two planets, Mercury and Venus, that consistently appear in close proximity to the Sun in the sky, whereas three other planets, namely Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, can be observed on the opposite side of the sky, far away from the Sun.

The retrograde motion of Mars occurs when it appears to move backward against the backdrop of stars. This composite image is created by stitching together multiple consecutive images of Mars captured during its opposition phase. Each subsequent image was taken one week after the previous one. Photo credit: Cenk E. Tezel, Tunç Tezel (TWAN)/APOD

Normally, planets traverse the sky from right to left (i.e., from west to east) relative to the stars. However, there are times when they pause and reverse their direction. They then pause again and resume their eastward motion, creating enigmatic loops. One common characteristic of all planets is that they exclusively navigate through the zodiacal constellations, just like the Sun and the Moon.

If the planets were to move in an organized manner, they would likely be referred to as “moving luminaries” or something similar. However, that is not the case, as planets are known as wandering stars! The reason for this is the complex and irregular motion of planets against the backdrop of ordinary stars, which led people to dub them as “wanderers” or “wandering” luminaries. Interestingly, the term “planet” itself translates from ancient Greek as “wandering”.

Here is an illustration that demonstrates why planets are called wandering stars. This animation showcases three bright stars positioned near the horizon: Saturn, Jupiter, and the reddish Mars. Each subsequent frame corresponds to the following day, with the full length representing four weeks. It is evident from the animation how Mars swiftly moves in relation to the stars and the two other planets. Figure: Stellarium/Evgeny Zolotavkin

The principles governing the movement of celestial bodies

Ancient astronomers were perplexed by the peculiar motion of the planets. It appeared to be highly unpredictable and almost chaotic, yet there was an underlying pattern to these movements. Could it be that the planets adhered to certain laws? Was there a concealed order dictating their motion?

The geocentric system of the world

For countless centuries, astronomers have dedicated themselves to uncovering the laws that govern the celestial bodies. Among the ancient Greek scholars, a theory emerged that elegantly explained the motion of the planets in the heavens. This theory not only provided accurate predictions of their future positions, but also positioned Earth as the center of the universe. According to this theory, known as the geocentric system, the Sun, Moon, planets, and stars all orbited around Earth in perfect circular paths.

Ancient astronomers employed intricate geometric constructions to forecast the planetary positions in the celestial sphere. Source: Claudius Ptolemy. Almagest

However, as time passed, the theory ceased to yield precise predictions: minor inaccuracies accrued and the planets deviated from their projected trajectories. Consequently, the theory necessitated enhancement, but also became more convoluted. Thus, epicycles, deferents, equants, and other intricate geometric concepts were introduced to account for the planets’ loops, acceleration, and deceleration.

The revolutionary heliocentric model of the universe

After several millennia of the geocentric model dominating astronomical thought, a groundbreaking discovery was made around 500 years ago by the brilliant Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus . He proposed a radical reimagining of the cosmos, placing the Sun at the center instead of Earth. According to this revolutionary heliocentric system, all planets, including Earth, orbit around the Sun. This momentous shift in perspective also redefined Earth’s status, elevating it from being merely the “center of the world,” the “firmament,” or the “dark ball,” to an actual planet. The term “heliocentric” originates from the Greek word helios, meaning the sun.

After another fifty years, Johannes Kepler, a German mathematician, formulated Kepler’s famous three laws. Specifically, the first law states that instead of moving in circles, the planets move on ellipses with the Sun at one of the focal points. It didn’t take long for Sir Isaac Newton to derive Kepler’s laws from the law of gravitation.

Thanks to the Copernican world system and Kepler’s laws, it became possible to predict the positions of the planets in the sky for centuries, and even millennia, to come. Equally important is the fact that these discoveries caused a true revolution in humanity’s conception of the universe’s structure.

Put simply, astronomy is the scientific field dedicated to researching the sky and celestial bodies. In ancient times, astronomers observed everything that occurred in the sky above the clouds – the sun and stars, the moon and planets, the northern lights and meteors, which are commonly known as “shooting stars.” Astronomers also paid attention to rare cosmic events like supernovae and the formation of new stars, as well as the appearance of comets with tails. Additionally, atmospheric phenomena like halos that occasionally encircle the moon or sun fell within the purview of astronomers.

In the present day, astronomers focus solely on studying objects and physical processes that exist beyond Earth’s dense atmosphere. They investigate cosmic bodies and the universe as a whole. In essence, astronomers explore the structure, origin, and development of celestial bodies.

Astronomers’ hard work has not been in vain. In the last few centuries, they have constructed a remarkable, awe-inspiring, and captivating depiction of the universe.

A collection of galaxies in the constellation of Veronica’s Hair. Image: NASA/Hubble

It transpires that we inhabit an immense, ever-expanding universe that is approximately fourteen billion years old. Our Universe is so vast that even light, which moves faster than anything else, takes billions of years to reach its far-flung corners (due to the Universe’s expansion, it will never be able to traverse it in the usual manner). The universe houses trillions of galaxies, each composed of billions upon billions of stars. Galaxies can be likened to islands of stars, separated by vast, almost entirely starless regions.

We are located within one of the many galaxies in the universe, known as the Milky Way . The Milky Way consists of approximately 400 billion stars, including our very own Sun. Every star visible in the night sky belongs to the Milky Way.

The Sun is classified as an average star – not too large or small, bright or dim, or heavy or light. It falls somewhere in the middle among the vast assortment of stars.

Surrounding the Sun are eight major planets, several dwarf planets, countless asteroids, comets, and numerous smaller celestial bodies such as rocks and meteoroids. Collectively, these entities form the solar system.

Not too long ago, the existence of similar systems around other stars was uncertain. However, over the past three decades, astronomers have developed techniques to detect and investigate such systems. It has been discovered that nearly every star within our galaxy possesses at least one planet. It won’t be long before scientists are able to distinguish Earth-like planets that bear resemblance to our own planet.

Over the mountains in Slovakia, the Milky Way can be seen. Photo credit goes to Vaclav Hyza.

Currently, there exist numerous captivating books that showcase stunning color illustrations, providing detailed descriptions of the planets within our solar system, stars, the structure of the Milky Way, and other galaxies. Additionally, these books delve into the history and evolution of the entire universe. However, what is often left unmentioned is the fact that a vast number of these magnificent celestial objects are visible to the naked eye, should one wish to partake in such observation. In certain instances, a small telescope or even binoculars may be required, while in other cases, one’s eyes alone may suffice in witnessing various astronomical phenomena.

Astronomy: A Fascinating Hobby

Astronomy, often considered an exact science akin to math or physics, requires a deep understanding of physics and sometimes even chemistry, as well as specialized mathematical tools and programming skills. Furthermore, it involves a continuous process of refining existing knowledge and diligently searching for the unknown.

While astronomers themselves view their profession as highly romantic, many individuals find the abundance of formulas and calculations daunting and uninteresting.

If you happen to be one of those people, I want to assure you that you do not need to possess a mathematical mind in order to engage in astronomy and appreciate the breathtaking beauty of the night sky!

So, what do you require to get started?

To begin with, all you really need is an unobstructed and, if possible, dimly lit sky. (Finding such a sky is increasingly challenging in modern times!) If you derive pleasure from gazing at the celestial bodies, including stars, constellations, meteors, the moon, and the planets’ motion, you might want to delve deeper into the vast expanse of the night sky. In that case, you have the option to select either a pair of binoculars or an affordable telescope for your overall observations.

The Celestron Astromaster 130 eq is an affordable amateur telescope designed for observing the stars using an equatorial mount (tripod). Source: Rother Valley Optics

As you continue your stargazing journey, you will discover certain objects or types of observations that you prefer over others. When this happens, it may be time to invest in specialized equipment that is more expensive but offers better quality.

Perhaps the resources you currently possess will suffice, and you will derive pleasure from leisurely strolls beneath the celestial bodies. Alternatively, there may come a time when you realize that observing the cosmos is simply not your cup of tea, and you move on. Similar to any pastime, amateur astronomy primarily offers amusement and relaxation, with everything else following suit. If you fail to experience positive emotions while gazing upon the starry expanse, then it is best to abstain.

By the way, if I were in your shoes, I would not underestimate the intellectual aspect of astronomical observations. Were you aware that contemporary astronomy enthusiasts frequently make astounding discoveries? They stumble upon uncharted celestial entities such as asteroids and comets, variable stars, supernovae, newborn stars, and even previously unknown nebulae!

You have the opportunity to personally make a groundbreaking discovery in the field of astronomy! (Of course, this won’t happen right away, but after gaining some basic experience in observing celestial phenomena.) This is no laughing matter! With a plethora of state-of-the-art telescopes now available to professional astronomers, the possibilities are endless! The reality is that large telescopes are primarily utilized for observing specific celestial objects – nobody would use the Hubble Space Telescope to search for new comets or closely monitor Jupiter. That’s precisely why ambitious amateur astronomers have ample opportunities to contribute.

If you’re interested in learning more about the endeavors of amateur astronomers, you can find additional information here.

Astronomy does not have the ability to forecast or determine a person’s destiny or personality based on the stars. This is the realm of astrology. Astronomers often take offense when they are mistakenly referred to as astrologers. In reality, astronomers firmly believe that it is impossible to predict the future of individuals or the world solely based on the movements of celestial bodies.

However, there exists a correlation between astronomy and astrology. In earlier times, when the scientific method had not yet been established, the distinction between astronomy and astrology was not well-defined. In reality, the advancement of astronomy in ancient times was driven not only by practical necessities like the calendar, but also by the astrological desires of those in power. Seeking knowledge of the future, monarchs and rulers provided patronage to astrologers, thereby indirectly fostering the progress of astronomy, since without it, the prediction of the positions of celestial bodies in the future would be unattainable.

How to get started with studying astronomy?

If you have an interest in the night sky but lack knowledge about astronomy, it can be challenging to begin observing. Even when reading popular online articles, it is often difficult to distinguish between planets and stars. What are the various phases of the moon? What are faint stars? What is a conjunction of planets? And what do terms like brilliance, brightness, and luminosity mean?

There are moments when the objects studied in astronomy can be unclear. For instance, you might not understand the differences between planets and stars or what galaxies are.

When faced with a plethora of unfamiliar jargon, confusion is bound to follow. That’s why it’s best to start by delving into popular astronomy books or engaging with astronomy forums, where you can discover a wealth of straightforward and valuable information. Alternatively, you can peruse the introductory articles available on this website.

With the aim of aiding astronomy novices in catching up, I trust that this article will prove beneficial.

In the vast expanse of space, there may exist countless planets unattached to a central star. Termed nomad planets (also referred to as floating, interstellar, or orphan planets), astronomers and enthusiasts of science fiction have long been captivated by the possibility of their existence.

These planets can emerge after being expelled from their orbits between solar systems, or they can form when an interstellar cloud collapses. In any case, they eventually traverse the Milky Way. Can Earth also transform into such a planet? Can a rogue planet pass through our solar system? The discovery of rogue planets compels us to reconsider some fundamental concepts, from the formation of planets to their placement in orbit.

Simultaneously, these wanderers have made us realize that we are not as solitary as we previously believed on a planetary scale. In reality, we may have numerous additional contenders for habitable planets besides exoplanets. Indeed, nomadic planets could potentially harbor life.

Frightening aspects of planetary nomads

The concept of nomadic planets was first brought to the public’s attention in the middle of 2011, thanks to a research conducted by Takahiro Sumi, an astrophysicist from Osaka University in Japan. Sumi and his team utilized gravitational microlensing, a method commonly used to identify exoplanets across the galaxy. By observing the distortion of light from a background source, such as a star, caused by an object passing between the source and Earth, they were able to temporarily magnify the light. In their study, Sumi and his colleagues discovered 10 planets with a mass similar to Jupiter that appeared to be moving without following a recognizable orbit.

As previously mentioned, the hypothesis suggests that these objects might have originated from the same gas and dust clouds that give rise to stars, or alternatively, they could have been captured by solar systems and removed from their original orbits. Consequently, solar systems have the potential to attract and retain nomadic planets, resulting in their placement in wide orbits. It’s entirely plausible that our solar system once harbored a greater number of planets than our current knowledge encompasses.

There exists the possibility that Earth could come into contact with such a rogue planet, albeit the likelihood is small. However, our galaxy is teeming with smaller, more dispersed threats that pose an equal amount of danger. The chances of our demise at the hands of a comet or an asteroid measuring a few kilometers in diameter are significantly higher.

Sumi’s initial research indicated that every star in our galaxy may possess two or three wandering planets. However, a subsequent investigation conducted by the Kavli Institute at Stanford, less than a year later, revised this estimation, suggesting that each star in the Milky Way could potentially harbor up to 100,000 nomadic planets.

Several factors contribute to this hypothesis:

• The gravitational influence exerted by the Milky Way;
• The availability of matter necessary for the formation of nomadic planets;
• The manner in which matter organizes itself within a planet, ranging in size from Pluto to Jupiter.

If proven accurate, this theory raises intriguing questions about the formation of planets and the significance of nomadic planets within our galaxy. However, for now, let us focus on the information at hand and explore the various possibilities that lie ahead.

What is the origin of wandering planets?

Let’s explore the possible sources of drifting planets. Much of the current understanding of these celestial bodies is derived from studying our own solar system and other young solar systems in our galaxy.

It is important to note that wandering planets can vary in terms of size and composition. Sumi’s research initially revealed Jupiter-class planets as nomadic entities, suggesting that smaller planets with less mass could also be expelled from their original systems. In fact, smaller planets may be more likely to be ejected from a developing planetary system. On the other hand, larger planets may naturally emerge as outcasts from star-forming clusters.

The concept of ejection is based on the notion that nomadic planets experience gravitational forces from various sources, including other stars and neighboring planets. To illustrate how this process could occur, scientists analyze Jupiter-like planets in different solar systems, which maintain orbits in close proximity to their respective suns. Now, envision a scenario where our own Jupiter gradually reduces its orbit and approaches the sun. With a mass over 300 times greater than that of Earth, Jupiter possesses a substantial gravitational field.

Another suggestion suggests that if a star goes supernova, a planet may be expelled from the solar system. Naturally, some planets would be obliterated in a violent explosion, but those that survive would be propelled outward into space, no longer bound to their original star.

Once outside the solar system, a wandering planet could be influenced by various gravitational forces. Computational simulations have indicated that if a planet is ejected early in the formation of a star cluster, it is likely to be drawn into a wide, unrestricted orbit around a neighboring star. The larger the star, the greater the chance of capturing a wandering planet. Computer models also suggest that it is entirely possible for a wandering planet to be ensnared by the gravitational pull of black holes.

There are other options that involve planets orbiting the Milky Way galaxy in a wide trajectory. This implies that they are still part of the galactic dance floor and moving along with the crowd, but they are not traveling in a pack. Ultimately, it is completely plausible for two wandering planets to encounter each other and create their own binary system – simply a pair of solitary planets engaging in a romantic dance in the vastness of space.

What are the potential conditions on a roaming planet?

We cannot be certain about this until we conduct research on roaming planets. However, there are certain assumptions that can be made based on our observations of planets, dwarf planets, and moons in our own solar system and beyond. Let’s explore some of the possible characteristics of roaming planets.

Presence of day and night? Unlikely. As we already understand, our day and night cycles are determined by our proximity to the sun. Without a nearby sun, traditional day and night cycles would not exist. Consequently, the process of photosynthesis can probably be ruled out.

Can a nomadic planet have an atmosphere? Absolutely, a nomadic planet has the potential to possess an atmosphere. In order for a planet to sustain an atmosphere, it must possess sufficient gravitational force to retain gases and maintain low temperatures to prevent the gases from dissipating and evaporating into space. Take, for example, the farthest reaches of our solar system where even the diminutive Pluto manages to preserve its own atmosphere. Therefore, it is plausible for a nomadic planet to uphold an atmosphere, although it may not meet the same criteria as Earth.

Is it possible for them to possess water? It is probable that certain nomadic planets could contain water – or, more possibly, ice. Through the utilization of unmanned stations and satellites, scientists have discovered ice on Mars and indications of ancient liquid water. Conversely, Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons in our solar system, showcases a surface comprised of ice that conceals an ocean of water. If we manage to detect water on other planets and moons within our own solar system, the probability of its existence on certain nomads is also quite high. When we consider the fact that there are approximately 100,000 nomadic planets for each star in our galaxy, the potential for such occurrences quickly multiplies.

Is it possible for life to exist on rogue planets?

Could interstellar space within our galaxy be teeming with life? It’s a possibility. Based on our understanding of other planets, it is reasonable to assume that wandering planets share some similarities. While the majority of planets we have encountered thus far cannot sustain life as we know it, the sheer number of galactic possibilities suggests that life could indeed exist. This notion has been substantiated by our findings.

In the future, it is possible for humans to inhabit a wandering planet. Proxima Centauri, which is the nearest star to our Sun, is located at a considerable distance of 4.22 light-years away from Earth. These nomadic planets could play a crucial role in human space exploration. Once we venture beyond our solar system, we could make use of these hospitable wandering planets to journey to another star system. On the other hand, given the abundance of planets, it might not even be necessary to travel to another star in order to discover new ones. This vast expanse of darkness between the sun and the stars suddenly becomes full of possibilities – and unanswered questions.

A planet derives from the ancient Greek term “wandering star”.”a wandering star”. The reason for this terminology is that the “actual” stars remain fixed in their positions, while the planets traverse the sky. The ancient Greeks, unaware that they were observing not only stars but also planets, found this behavior perplexing, hence the name.

However, unlike the ancient Greeks, we perceive the planets of the Solar System as our “home” rather than as “wandering” inhabitants of the universe. This is because each planet follows a precisely defined orbit around the Sun. When examining other planetary systems and the behavior of exoplanets, we observe a similar pattern – the planets are not really “wandering” but rather gravitationally “anchored” to their stars.

Do wandering planets truly exist, freely traversing space without a circular orbit? Absolutely, there are such celestial bodies, although it is more fitting to refer to them as rogue planets or even orphan planets. For they are truly devoid not only of companion planets, but even a star to call their own!

Discovering wandering planets is a challenging task due to their small size and lack of light emission. Despite these obstacles, scientists have managed to find a significant number of these elusive celestial objects. The actual number of wandering planets that exist remains a mystery and is potentially overwhelming!

A variety of terms have been used to describe wandering planets, including interstellar planets, wandering planets (commonly used abroad), planemos, free-floating planets, sunless planets, quasi-planets, or simply solitary planets.

It is estimated that the number of wandering planets in our galaxy, the Milky Way, can reach an incredibly high number, surpassing the number of visible stars by up to 100,000 times, which equates to approximately 100 billion. However, unlike stars, these planets are not easy to locate due to their lack of a star to reflect light from.

To detect these homeless planets, scientists use the method of gravitational microlensing, which involves observing the gravitational influence of a massive object passing in front of a star, even though the object itself does not emit light.

What is a wandering planet?

A wandering planet, also known as an interstellar planet, is a celestial object that shares many characteristics with a traditional planet. It is spherical in shape and has a mass similar to that of a planet. However, what sets a wandering planet apart is that it is not gravitationally bound to any star, brown dwarf, or even another planet, although it may have satellites. Unlike planets that orbit around a star or the galactic nucleus, a wandering planet drifts freely through space, unattached to any specific gravitational force.

But where do these wandering planets come from? There are two main theories:

• One possibility is that a wandering planet was once part of a planetary system but was ejected during a cosmic cataclysm. This event could have been caused by a collision with another celestial object or a gravitational disruption within the system.
• Thus, the initial choice remains more suitable in accordance with our definition. This is particularly true since a sub-brown dwarf still suggests a size comparable to that of a few Jupiter masses, signifying a star – a significantly large entity. Meanwhile, researchers, who examined over 2.6 thousand observations of rogue planets conducted between 2010 and 2015, deduced that orphan planets are normally super-Earths. In other words, they are substantial celestial bodies, but their dimensions are more or less comparable to Earth rather than Jupiter.

Is it possible for a nomadic planet to sustain life?

When we discuss a nomadic planet, our minds typically conjure up images of a colossal celestial body made up of rock and ice, similar to Ceres but much larger in scale. However, a nomadic planet doesn’t necessarily have to fit this description. According to astrophysicist Sean Raymond from the Bordeaux Astrophysics Laboratory in France, some of these rogue planets may possess dense atmospheres.

Admittedly, these wandering planets emit very little heat themselves and are not warmed by external sources. Nevertheless, massive objects like Jupiter, drifting through interstellar space, could maintain a dense atmosphere that would prevent the planet’s surface from freezing. This effect would be further enhanced by a thick hydrogen atmosphere that is opaque to infrared radiation, effectively trapping the heat generated by the planet’s core.

Undoubtedly, a wandering planet presents a significantly higher risk compared to a meteorite. However, the vastness of space makes it difficult to truly consider the potential for a collision with a wandering planet.

It has been estimated that a hydrogen pressure greater than one thousand atmospheres would create an almost ideal adiabatic process for an object with the same mass as the Earth. The decay energy of radioactive isotopes would be enough to maintain a positive temperature on the surface, potentially allowing for the existence of liquid water. These conditions could lead to high geological activity and the presence of underwater volcanoes, as well as a strong magnetic field that protects the planet from cosmic radiation. These factors could serve as a potential energy source for the emergence of life.

Is it possible for a planet to be wandering in the solar system?

Almost 300 years ago, the mythical fifth planet in the solar system was first sought after in relation to the Titius-Bode rule, but no evidence was found. The search for the fifth planet (nowadays referred to as the fifth, but the ninth planet) began in modern times, when it was discovered through mathematical modeling of the solar system’s planet orbits that Jupiter’s orbit must have been much closer to the Sun during the system’s formation than it is today.

In order for Jupiter to approach closer, it would have to displace smaller celestial bodies within the system. However, this would result in potential collisions between the planets in the Earth group. Another option would be for Jupiter to “jump” closer, but in doing so, it would risk pushing Uranus or Neptune out of the system.

Both of these scenarios seem unlikely. However, if we hypothesize that during the initial formation of the solar system, there were not four, but five gigantic gas planets, then all the pieces of the puzzle fit together. It is possible that this mysterious fifth gas giant was ejected by Jupiter, either ending up in a far-off orbit or leaving the confines of the solar system altogether. Other gas giants, such as Neptune, have also experienced significant displacement. For instance, Neptune transitioned from a position in close proximity to Jupiter and Saturn to a much more distant orbit beyond Uranus, ultimately settling at the far reaches of the solar system.

The theory of the fifth planet in our solar system (2011) was formulated by astronomer David Nesvorny, who also conducted all the necessary calculations. According to Nesvorny, the likelihood of the “lost” planet having shifted to a distant orbit around the Sun is extremely low, and it is highly probable that it has permanently departed the solar system, becoming a wandering planet or an exiled planet among the realm of space travelers.

This concept traces its origins back to the ancient Greeks. They observed that while the fixed stars in the sky remain in place, the planets, due to their orbit around the Sun, appear to move in relation to the stars. Depending on their position, the planets can be found within a particular constellation, shift to another constellation, or even become invisible.

Ultimately, it was a scientist who first coined the term “lost” planet, and this is how it became widely known.)))

Our understanding of the stars and the universe is extremely limited – everything we think we know is based on mere conjecture and hypotheses. It’s possible that our current understanding is completely off the mark.

Occasionally, planets embark on their own odyssey through the enigmatic cosmos, existing in solitude without any stellar companion. What causes these nomadic planets to come into existence and what is their purpose?

We are accustomed to perceiving the Solar System as an orderly construction. Each planet dutifully revolves around its parent star, arranged in a precise pattern of ellipses and rings. Even the asteroid belt adheres to its designated orbit. The planets obediently follow their prescribed paths, destined to orbit for eternity. Oh, Pluto, you are not permitted to venture beyond and mingle with the other planets. Instead, you shall have lunch under the watchful gaze of Haumea until we determine an appropriate punishment for your failure to tidy up your play area.

Some planets simply cannot contain themselves. They are akin to rebellious icons such as Jimmy Dean, grizzers, Marlon Brando, and Coldblood Luke. They defy all rules and live by their own code. They resemble the Rolling Stones in this regard. Rather than conforming to the normal pattern of orbiting around a star, these planets become wanderers and venture off into deep space, perhaps in search of recognition, wealth, and excitement.

A wandering planet refers to any planet that does not adhere to the conventional practice of orbiting around a star. Instead of belonging to a specific star system, it orbits around the Milky Way itself or is expelled from our galaxy altogether. Make no mistake, there are numerous planets affected by this phenomenon. According to some estimates, there are billions of wandering planets in the Milky Way.

What is the process by which planets become wandering planets? The answer lies in their formation. Some wandering planets initially originate as part of a star system but undergo certain events that lead to their expulsion into deep space. These events could be triggered by collisions or close encounters with other stars, or even encounters with black holes. When two stars come into close proximity to each other, their gravitational interaction can disrupt the meticulously organized orbital system. As a result, planets may be propelled into orbits that are either closer or farther from their star, collide with the star itself, or achieve escape velocity, causing them to forever abandon their previous orbits.

It may seem impossible, but planets have the ability to take flight when their star vanishes. Occasionally, stars explode into supernovae, causing a powerful blast that propels planets away from their original star at astonishing speeds, scattering them like billiard balls across the room. However, the majority of roaming planets most likely originated during the chaotic early stages of their star systems, when celestial bodies collided with one another. These collisions may have disrupted smaller neighboring planets in the system, with Jupiter being a prime example.

Alternatively, planets could have formed as solitary wanderers in distant nebulas, far removed from any stars. If pockets of hydrogen coalesce into a spherical shape but lack sufficient mass to ignite thermonuclear fusion and become a star, they become another type of wandering planet.

What would the appearance of these planets be? Devoid of illumination from a celestial body, they would exist as an exceedingly frigid realm. This is not merely a metaphorical statement. The outer layers would possess a temperature akin to that of the interstellar expanse, just a few degrees above absolute zero. However, deep beneath the planetary surface, there may still linger residual heat from their formation, thereby presenting the potential for the sustenance of life. Such lifeforms would persist within a cozy, heated enclosure.

Furthermore, it is plausible to speculate that billions of years in the future, the wandering planet could undergo gravitational capture by another star, thus experiencing a reawakening. It may be subjected to irradiation, providing it with a second chance at survival, or it may meet a tragic demise. There exist numerous pathways through which a planet can become a wandering planet. It is even conceivable that there are a greater number of wandering planets within the Milky Way galaxy than there are individual stars themselves.

The article you are currently reading is titled “What is the process of planets becoming wandering planets?”.

To comprehend the distinction between stars and planets, we must initially examine their respective descriptions. A star is a colossal luminous sphere composed of gas undergoing thermonuclear reactions within its core. Conversely, a planet is a frigid, spherical entity devoid of such reactions.

Distinguishing characteristics

Undoubtedly, stars and planets possess several common traits.

Firstly, they are celestial bodies that originate from particles of matter and gases. Secondly, their composition and shape exhibit resemblances (both have a spherical form). Each displays a core, internal and external regions, as well as an atmosphere.

Thirdly, their movements differ slightly, albeit both gravitate within orbits.

Furthermore, these celestial entities are observable even to the unaided eye, owing to their luminosity.

In addition, they compose star systems, yet in these systems, planets revolve around stars.

How planets are distinct from stars

First and foremost, the distinction lies in their luminosity. Both entities possess this characteristic, but there is a crucial difference. Stars generate energy and emit light through nuclear reactions and high temperatures, whereas planets, though luminous, do not emit light but instead reflect starlight.

It is important to note that temperature is directly correlated to the cause of luminosity, making it another distinguishing factor. Stars are incandescent, whereas planets are not.

Unlike stars, planets have a uniform reflection of light due to their cold nature. In contrast, luminaries emit light unevenly due to their high temperature and the thermonuclear fusion processes occurring within them. They flare up and then appear to fade away, which is why the twinkling of luminaries is often discussed.

Therefore, when observing the night sky, it is possible to distinguish the planets within our solar system from the stars. In simple terms, if a bright point of light flickers, it is a star. However, if the light remains constant, it indicates a planet.

Which do you believe is larger, a star or a planet? In reality, a planet is smaller in size compared to a star. It is always significantly smaller than a star.

What are the visual distinctions between planets and stars?

When gazing at the night sky, we are greeted by shining points of light, which can be either stars or planets. But how can we differentiate between the two? It’s actually quite straightforward. Only the planets within our solar system are visible from Earth, while the others remain hidden from our sight. This is because their immense distance and smaller size prevent their reflected light from reaching us.

Movement is another key contrast between these celestial bodies. Planets revolve around a star and also spin on their own axis, whereas stars orbit around the center of their galaxy. While stars may appear stationary in the sky, planets gradually shift their positions over time. This is how ancient civilizations were able to discern planets from stars.

Certainly, there are other distinctive characteristics. It is true that identifying them necessitates the utilization of specialized apparatus. For instance, through spectral analysis, astronomers can ascertain the elemental composition of the entity and thus discern its identity.

So, to summarize, we can highlight the distinctions between a planet and a star: temperature, brightness, size, and their movement. Undoubtedly, there are numerous objects, celestial bodies, and systems in outer space, which, in turn, comprise and create other entities. It resembles a universal chain in which one thing leads to another. And this process is never-ending. However, it possesses its own beauty.

Indeed, it is not always effortless to differentiate cosmic objects from one another. In some cases, basic observations or knowledge suffice, while in others, the assistance of experts and scientists is required. I trust that this article has aided you in comprehending the distinctions between a planet and a star.

It’s not surprising that the discovery of a new exoplanet, unattached to any star, may not generate much excitement anymore. Astronomers have already found numerous such solitary planets in recent years, to the point where they are becoming the norm rather than the exception in the Universe.

In fact, a study conducted in 2011 suggested that the number of orphan planets in our galaxy exceeds the number of typical planets orbiting their parent stars by at least 50 percent. This would mean that there are approximately one billion lonely planets in the Milky Way galaxy.

According to scientists, gas giants may be a minority among the solitary planets that scurry about. “In today’s understanding, we are aware that massive solitary planets are quite uncommon and that typically among them are planets with a mass comparable to that of Neptune or Earth,”

the astronomers stated. – We also have knowledge that massive objects are more likely to have difficulty escaping star systems compared to lighter ones.” Remarkably, these solitary planets are relatively close to us. Future telescopes will provide further insight into these solitary planets that will not be obscured by nearby luminous stars.

These celestial nomads, known as free-floating planets, have been dubbed by scientists as such because they have managed to escape the confines of their original solar systems. However, recent research suggests that these wandering worlds may have actually formed independently, and the sheer number of them is staggering – billions in total.

The truth is, not too long ago scientists made a discovery about the existence of planets that are not bound by the gravitational pull of a star and therefore do not orbit any star.

Last year, astronomers made an exciting finding when they spotted CFBDSIRJ2149, which is the closest known free-floating planet to us. This interesting planet is located 100 light-years away and has a mass ranging between 4 and 7 times that of Jupiter. What’s even more intriguing is that this free-floating planet appears to be a dull dark red color when observed in visible light.

And the most fascinating aspect is that it is just aimlessly drifting through the vastness of space.

Until now, it has been assumed by scientists that these planets, of which only a few are known, were created within existing planetary systems but then somehow became detached and moved away from their parent star due to a significant gravitational event, for example. Alternatively, it was thought that they became separated because the parent star ceased to exist. However, evidence has already been found to support the existence of planets in close proximity to deceased stars.

Recent observations of small, dark clouds known as globulets have revealed that planets can actually form independently, without the need for a pre-existing planetary system. This suggests that there may be a second method of planet formation, in addition to the widely accepted accretion disk theory.

The detection was announced by a group of astronomers hailing from Sweden and Finland who were observing small clouds in the Rosette Nebula, an enormous accumulation of dust and gas located 4,600 light-years away. Within this nebula, there exist numerous “tiny” (in cosmic terms) clouds that have a diameter no greater than the distance between the Sun and Neptune. These small clouds, known as globulets, possess an extremely high density, just slightly less dense than Jupiter’s 13 times the mass. It appears that these specks of gas and dust have the potential to give rise to a planet.

Measurements have indicated that globulets with dense cores have the possibility of collapsing due to their own gravitational force. This occurrence results in the formation of a certain celestial object.

Several of these formations can be classified as brown dwarfs – large celestial bodies that are unable to ignite and become stars. Additionally, considering the velocity at which globulettes move within the nebula – approximately 80,000 kilometers per hour – it is likely that some rogue planets will collide.

“Our hypothesis is that these small spherical formations originated from tall dusty columns of gas that were created by the intense radiation emitted by young stars,” explains an astronomer affiliated with the University of Helsinki. – “They fragmented away from the core of the nebula due to the intense pressure exerted by the central hot stars.”

In the spring of 2011, a groundbreaking study was published which completely revolutionized our understanding of the universe. This study unveiled the existence of 10 solitary planets that are traversing our galaxy in isolation. Basic calculations suggest that this astounding discovery is only the tip of the iceberg, as there are likely millions of these enigmatic black worlds awaiting our exploration. What’s more, simulations of the conditions on these solitary planets indicate that they may even harbor life…

Imagine a desolate black world, hurtling through the vast expanse of our galaxy’s center. It is conceivable that there could be twice as many of these planets as there are stars in the universe. It is even possible that some of these lonesome planets exist in close proximity to our very own solar system…

Over the past few years, humanity has made incredible discoveries, uncovering more than a thousand exoplanets – fascinating worlds that revolve around distant stars. The techniques used to detect these exoplanets are continuously improving, allowing astronomers to expand our understanding of the visible Universe.

Additionally, elliptical galaxies have played a significant role in altering our perception of the cosmos. They have led to a threefold increase in the number of stars in the Universe, while simultaneously reducing the proportion of dark matter present… (for more information, visit Sci-Fact.ru).

Furthermore, scientists have long been aware of the existence of brown dwarfs – celestial objects that possess a mass similar to that of planets or gas giants. These fascinating objects undergo thermonuclear reactions, making them distinct from their planetary counterparts. And now, they have also discovered the existence of lonely planets in the vastness of interstellar space.

It is evident that the planet itself cannot be observed directly without the presence of starlight. However, the phenomenon of microlensing – the amplification of light emitted by distant stars due to the gravitational field of a large object obstructing its path – aids astronomers in detecting such dark worlds. This phenomenon was initially predicted in Einstein’s general theory of relativity.

Over the course of 2 years, astronomers from Japan and the United States diligently monitored 50 million stars in the central region of our Galaxy. They utilized 1.8 and 1.3-meter telescopes situated in New Zealand and Chile for this purpose. In total, they documented approximately 500 instances of brightness amplification, and out of those, 10 were attributed to planets rather than other stars. The distance to these identified solitary planets ranged from 10,000 to 20,000 light-years….

Having found ten solitary planets with the same mass as Jupiter is quite a remarkable discovery. This is especially impressive considering that the observation was limited to a very small portion of the sky, and for a planet to be detected, it must be sufficiently large and have crossed the path between a distant star and the Earth observer.

It is a conservative estimate to suggest that there may be millions of planets without suns . On the other end of the spectrum, the highest estimation for the “population” of these new dark worlds is that there could be twice as many solitary planets as there are stars, amounting to between 400 and 800 billion. .

How did such a vast number of solitary planets emerge? The majority of researchers posit that these planets originated in typical solar systems with a single or dual central star, but were subsequently displaced from their orbital paths due to the gravitational influence of other planets or when their parent star came into close proximity with other stars. Observations of exoplanets indicate that the dramatic evolution of solar systems is quite common – hot gas giants frequently undergo orbital changes, resulting in the destruction or ejection of terrestrial planets.

Discovery of the fifth fundamental force of nature… (see on Sci-Fact.ru)

However, there exists another perspective, which suggests that solitary planets (at least some of them) are actually stars that never underwent further development and instead formed independently from primary gas clouds….

Currently, 10 gas giants (similar to Jupiter or Saturn) have been detected, but it is probable that the majority of solitary planets are much smaller in size, comparable to Earth or even smaller. This is because smaller planets are more likely to be expelled from their parent star’s orbit.

Voyager 1 and Voyager 2: a 33-year journey through the stars… (check out on Sci-Fact.ru)

If there truly are numerous Earth-like planets out there, the chances of discovering one in close proximity to Earth are quite high. It might be situated much nearer to us than the nearest stars with planetary systems. Most importantly, there is a possibility that such a planet could support life .

A planet without a sun can sustain life for billions of years, according to a study by geophysicist Dorian Abbot and astrophysicist Eric Switze from the University of Chicago. By simulating a scenario where “the sun goes out,” the researchers found that beneath a thick layer of ice, a kilometer-long layer of liquid water could exist, providing a potential habitat for life. This is true even for planets with masses similar to Earth’s. The study considered a range of planet masses, from one-tenth to ten times that of Earth, and assumed comparable amounts of water.

As a consequence, it was discovered that a solitary planet weighing three times as much as Earth, which was expelled from its own solar system, would maintain a layer of liquid water several kilometers thick beneath a substantial layer of ice. The energy released from the decay of radioactive material would be sufficient to last for 5 billion years, during which the existence of life on the planet is quite feasible.

The principle of panspermia in action: bacteria in outer space survived for 553 days… (read more on Sci-Fact.ru)

Life in the solar system may have spread from Earth during the same period as the extinction of the dinosaurs… (read more on Sci-Fact.ru)

However, this is still insufficient: if volcanic activity persists on the planet, then even in a solitary world that is one-third the size of Earth, it is feasible to preserve water and, consequently, sustain life. Volcanic activity will be accompanied by the release of gases, which, upon freezing, effectively shield the planet from the vastness of interstellar space…

Can intelligent civilizations thrive in such lightless worlds devoid of suns? – Why not? The real question is whether we will be capable of comprehending the beings that inhabit such an alien, according to our standards, environment…

For now, let’s attempt to discover life “at the very least” within our own solar system, such as on Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons, where an entire ocean lies hidden beneath an icy surface, or on Titan, one of Saturn’s moons, where there is a hopeful belief that life may exist, but based on entirely different principles than those found on Earth…

(cc) permanent article link: https://sci-fact.ru/archive-1-space-fact/novyj-chernyj-mir-10-odinokix-planet-bez-solnc-vsego-planet-milliony.html

• After a careful recount, it has been determined that there could be anywhere from 361 to 37,964 civilizations in our Galaxy…
• The plants found on planets beyond our solar system exhibit a wide range of colors, including yellow, red, and even black…
• Could life potentially exist on Titan…
• Astronomers are using the Mobile Astronomy Telescope-Robot System to search for gamma-ray bursts…
• The Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecraft have been on a 33-year journey through the stars…
• Bacteria in outer space have demonstrated the theory of panspermia by surviving for 553 days…
• Elliptical galaxies have significantly increased the number of stars in the Universe by a factor of 3 and decreased the proportion of dark matter…
• Life in the universe might have originated from Earth during the same period when the dinosaurs became extinct…
• Scientists have discovered evidence of the most ancient life forms on our planet. Anaerobic microorganisms existed as far back as 3.4 billion years ago. It is possible that these organisms could have also thrived on other celestial bodies…

Life in the Cosmos Cosmos Planets Astrobiology Astrophysics Milky Way Life Stars Journey to the Stars Exoplanets Solitary Planets Dark Universe Black Universe

Bluzhdajushhie zvezdy

An image with various colors taken by the Pan-STARRS1 telescope displays the planetary body PSO J318.5-22 drifting freely through the vastness of space, situated in the Capricorn constellation. It is an extremely cold and dim world, with its brightness being 100 billion times fainter in optical light when compared to Venus. The majority of its energy is emitted in the infrared spectrum.

These celestial bodies are commonly referred to as vagabonds, outcasts, wanderers, or orphans. These entities have the appearance and size of planets, which is exactly what they are. However, they lack any gravitational connection to a star.

Rogue planets can be found within a galaxy, revolving around a central core. Alternatively, they may fall into the category of intergalactic planets, which are not bound to anything at all. The majority of scientists firmly believe that orphan planets are unable to form independently.

It is highly probable that they originate through a typical process alongside a star. Subsequently, some catastrophic incident (such as a star explosion or collision with another planet) propels them out of their original stellar system. Once they lose their gravitational connection, these celestial bodies embark on a journey until they encounter another star.

Anticipating the Arrival of Nibiru: To Believe or Not?

Let’s delve into the topic of Nibiru once again. Assuming its existence, this mysterious planet would undoubtedly exert a profound influence on the other celestial bodies within our solar system, just as Neptune did in the past. Astronomers, being highly astute individuals, would swiftly recognize any discrepancies between the projected motion of Nibiru and the actual observations, which would indicate the presence of an unknown factor in the equation. Furthermore, the magnitude of Nibiru, comparable to that of Jupiter or even greater, would amplify its impact on the entire solar system. This is due to the correlation between a planet’s mass and its gravitational pull, which becomes more pronounced with a larger celestial body. Discover more about the principles of gravity and weightlessness by exploring our informative articles.

The Intricacies of the Solar System

If you observe the solar system “from a higher perspective,” at present, all the planets ranging from Venus to Neptune revolve as if on the same platter, within the same plane. However, astronomer David Morrison postulates that if an entity like Nibiru were to pass by Earth approximately every 3,600 years, its gravitational pull would disrupt the planetary alignment, causing a disturbance in the order. Furthermore, if Nibiru were indeed real, it would have absconded with the moon from Earth numerous years ago. Lastly, here’s the conclusive piece of evidence: the solar system is incredibly vast. While the planets traverse their orbits at considerable velocities, they still move relatively slowly, which means that even if Nibiru were to approach, we would have detected its presence at least a couple of years before a potential collision.

Subsequently, following a violent conflict with the Holy Inquisition, whereby they vigorously defended their misconceptions, the true nature of these wandering stars was finally revealed.

The heliocentric model, which posits that the Earth is situated at the center of the universe, began to crumble as a result of careful observations of these restless celestial bodies, whose movements were perplexing. Challenging, yet not insurmountable. Who can say what marvels reside in the vast expanse? Perhaps they are celestial beings.

Nonetheless, astronomers honed their telescopes, gradually uncovering that the entities present in that realm are far from angelic.

Learn more: The BepiColombo space mission will unveil the enigmas surrounding Mercury

However, it appears that the system does not actually revolve around the Earth, but around the Sun. In reality, it is much more intricate than it initially appears. For instance, while the Moon does revolve around the Earth, giving conservatives some solace, there are also numerous other planets, like the Earth, that revolve around the Sun, and some of them even have their own moons.

As a result, the complexities of this system eventually caused the Inquisition to fade into obscurity.

Nibiru: the latest updates

As per the widely known narrative, Nibiru is predicted to collide with our home planet at some point in the future, or at least come close enough to cause various natural catastrophes and potentially bring about the downfall of human civilization. However, at present, Nibiru remains purely a work of fiction. Consider it logically: how could something of that magnitude be concealed? If Nibiru truly existed, there would undoubtedly be evidence of its presence scattered throughout the entire solar system. We discovered the outermost planets, Neptune and Uranus, over two centuries ago, and since then, telescopic technology has advanced significantly. Furthermore, it is important to note that all planets have been following their respective orbits for a considerable duration, which means that if Nibiru were real, it would have undoubtedly cleared its orbital path over billions of years.

The comparative sizes of the planets within the solar system

Alright. Suppose Nibiru is moving in a peculiar path. However, if that were true, we would have already observed the proof a while back. Prior to astronomers discovering Neptune (in 1846), they had a suspicion that there must be a massive planet somewhere in the vast expanse beyond. Why? It’s because stargazers noticed that Uranus was consistently veering off from its predicted trajectory. Mathematicians theorized that this was due to the influence of a substantial planet in close proximity. And you know what? This enigmatic planet turned out to be the gigantic gas giant we currently refer to as Neptune.

• What is unique about planets
• What is the duration of a year on Saturn?
• How far is Mars from the sun?
• How many massive planets are there
• Saturn is the planet that is located at the greatest distance from the sun
• Understanding the mechanics of the solar system

It’s a wonderful world — and universe — out there.

Come explore with us!  

Science News Explores

Explainer: what is a planet.

Over the years, definitions have changed several times

Saturn is one of the more visually striking of our solar system’s true planets. NASA’s Cassini spacecraft snapped a series of pictures of this, the  sixth planet, on October 6, 2004. Those images were manipulated to create this complete shot of the planet and its rings.

NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute

Share this:

• Google Classroom

By Jennifer Cutraro

October 8, 2008 at 7:28 pm

The ancient Greeks first coined the name “planet.” The term means “wandering star,” explains David Weintraub. He’s an astronomer at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. Aristotle, a Greek philosopher who lived more than 2,000 years ago, identified seven “planets” in the sky. These are the objects that today we call the sun, moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. This view of planets would hold for the next 1,500 years, Weintraub notes.

“The seven planets according to the Greeks were the seven planets at the time of the Copernicus,” he says. “And those seven included the sun and the moon.”

Nicolaus Copernicus was a Polish astronomer. In the early 1500s, he suggested that the sun, and not the Earth, was at the center of what we today call the solar system. By doing that, he removed the sun from the list of planets. Then, in 1610,  Galileo Galilei pointed a telescope at the sky. In doing so, this Italian mathematician saw not only Jupiter but also four of its moons.

Later in that century, astronomers Christiann Huygens and Jean-Dominique Cassini spotted five additional objects orbiting Saturn. We now know them as moons. But at the end of the 1600s, astronomers agreed to call them planets. That brought the total number of apparent planets to 16.

Between then and the early 1900s, the number of planets fluctuated. From that high of 16, it later fell to six. That’s when the objects circling planets were reclassified as moons. With the 1781 discovery of Uranus, the planet count bumped up to seven. Neptune was discovered in 1846. Later, it jumped to 13 as telescopes unveiled several objects orbiting the sun from a distance between Mars and Jupiter. Today we call these objects asteroids . And now we know even asteroids can have moons . Finally, in 1930 little Pluto was spotted orbiting the sun from a cold, distant outpost.

Clearly, scientists have been naming, re-naming and categorizing parts of the solar system ever since people began following the paths of objects in the night sky, thousands of years ago. In 2006, the International Astronomical Union defined Pluto in a way that kicked it out of the planet tribe.

But wait…the definition of planet may not be settled.

“The word has changed meanings many times, for many different reasons,” noted Lisa Grossman in a 2021 Science News review of the science . “So there’s no reason,” she says, “why it couldn’t be changed once more.” Indeed, she cited scientists who are now arguing that Pluto should be given back its planet status. And some scientists suspect yet another planet may be orbiting the sun well beyond Pluto .

Nor are planets found only in our solar system. Astronomers have been logging stars throughout our galaxy that also appear to host their own planets. To differentiate these from planets in our solar system, those around other stars are now referred to as  exoplanets . As of March 2022, the count of known exoplanets had already topped 5,000 .

Note : This story has been periodically updated to account for emerging developments in planetary science and discovery.

Aristotle : An ancient Greek philosopher who lived during the 300s B.C. He studied many scientific topics, including biology, chemistry, physics and zoology. But science was far from his only interest. He also probed ethics, logic, government and politics — the underpinnings of what would become European culture.

asteroid : A rocky object in orbit around the sun. Most asteroids orbit in a region that falls between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Astronomers refer to this region as the asteroid belt.

astronomer : A scientist who works in the field of research that deals with celestial objects, space and the physical universe.

exoplanet : Short for extrasolar planet, it’s a planet that orbits a star outside our solar system.

galaxy : A group of stars — and usually invisible, mysterious dark matter — all held together by gravity. Giant galaxies, such as the Milky Way, often have more than 100 billion stars. The dimmest galaxies may have just a few thousand. Some galaxies also have gas and dust from which they make new stars.

host : (in biology and medicine) The organism (or environment) in which some other thing resides. Humans may be a temporary host for food-poisoning germs or other infective agents. (v.) The act of providing a home or environment for something.

Jupiter : (in astronomy) The solar system’s largest planet, it has the shortest day length (9 hours, 55 minutes). A gas giant, its low density indicates that this planet is composed mostly of the light elements hydrogen and helium. This planet also releases more heat than it receives from the sun as gravity compresses its mass (and slowly shrinks the planet).

Mars : The fourth planet from the sun, just one planet out from Earth. Like Earth, it has seasons and moisture. But its diameter is only about half as big as Earth’s.

mercury : Sometimes called quicksilver, mercury is an element with the atomic number 80. At room temperature, this silvery metal is a liquid. Mercury is also very toxic. Sometimes called quicksilver, mercury is an element with the atomic number 80. At room temperature, this silvery metal is a liquid. Mercury is also very toxic. (in astronomy and here the term is capitalized) The smallest in our solar system and the one whose orbit is closest to our sun. Named after a Roman god (Mercurius), one year on this planet lasts 88 Earth days, which is shorter than one of its own days: Each of those lasts 175.97 times as long as a day on Earth. (in meteorology) A term sometimes used to refer to the temperature. It comes from the fact that old thermometers used to use how high mercury rose within a tube as a gauge for temperature.

moon : The natural satellite of any planet.

philosopher : Researchers (often in university settings) who ponder fundamental truths about relationships between things, including people and the world. The term also is used to describe truth seekers in the ancient world, ones who sought to find meaning and logic out of observing the workings of society and of the natural world, including the universe.

planet : A large celestial object that orbits a star but unlike a star does not generate any visible light.

Pluto : A distant world that is located in the Kuiper Belt, just beyond Neptune. Known as a dwarf planet, Pluto is the ninth largest object orbiting our sun.

Saturn : The sixth planet out from the sun in our solar system. One of the two gas giants, this planet takes 10.6 hours to rotate (completing a day) and 29.5 Earth years to complete one orbit of the sun. It has at least 82 moons. But what most distinguishes this planet is the broad and flat plane of bright rings that orbit it.

solar system : The eight major planets and their moons in orbit around our sun, together with smaller bodies in the form of dwarf planets, asteroids, meteoroids and comets.

star : The basic building block from which galaxies are made. Stars develop when gravity compacts clouds of gas. When they become hot enough, stars will emit light and sometimes other forms of electromagnetic radiation. The sun is our closest star.

sun : The star at the center of Earth’s solar system. It is about 27,000 light-years from the center of the Milky Way galaxy. Also a term for any sunlike star.

telescope : Usually a light-collecting instrument that makes distant objects appear nearer through the use of lenses or a combination of curved mirrors and lenses. Some, however, collect radio emissions (energy from a different portion of the electromagnetic spectrum) through a network of antennas.

Venus : The second planet out from the sun, it has a rocky core, just as Earth does. Venus lost most of its water long ago. The sun’s ultraviolet radiation broke apart those water molecules, allowing their hydrogen atoms to escape into space. Volcanoes on the planet’s surface spewed high levels of carbon dioxide, which built up in the planet’s atmosphere. Today the air pressure at the planet’s surface is 100 times greater than on Earth, and the atmosphere now keeps the surface of Venus a brutal 460° Celsius (860° Fahrenheit).

More Stories from Science News Explores on Planets

The desert planet in ‘Dune’ is pretty realistic, scientists say

Here’s how to build an internet on Mars

Let’s learn about meteorites

Huge polygons on Mars hint its equator may once have been frozen

Jupiter has a never-before-seen jet stream — and it’s speedy

Analyze This: Neptune’s cloud cover syncs up with the solar cycle

In a first, astronomers spot the aftermath of an exoplanet smashup

Four researchers on Earth are spending a year on ‘Mars’

We have completed maintenance on Astronomy.com and action may be required on your account. Learn More

• Login/Register
• Solar System
• Exotic Objects
• Upcoming Events
• Deep-Sky Objects
• Observing Basics
• Telescopes and Equipment
• Astrophotography
• Space Exploration
• Human Spaceflight
• Robotic Spaceflight
• The Magazine

When did observers determine that “wandering stars” were not stars at all, but rather planets?

When Galileo and others turned early telescopes on these wandering objects starting in 1610, they weren’t sure what they saw. The fixed stars appeared as points of light while the planets were visible as disks.

A weird, repeating radio signal from space stumps astronomers

The Sun’s magnetic field is generated surprisingly close to its surface, new study suggests

How many stars die in the Milky Way each year?

The largest digital camera ever made for astronomy is done

Yes, an exploding star close to earth would make for a very bad day.

More than a few nearby stars show signs they ate young planets

How do globular clusters remain intact for so long?

How to see T Coronae Borealis, the ‘brightest nova of the generation’

What are the smallest brown dwarfs? The JWST has a new answer

Lecture 12: The Wanderers

The naked-eye sky, inferior & superior planets, inferior planet configurations, superior planet configurations, retrograde motion, who ordered that , a question of approach, from myth to science.

How massive stars steal planets – new research

Lecturer in Astrophysics, University of Sheffield

Disclosure statement

Richard Parker receives funding from the Royal Society

University of Sheffield provides funding as a founding partner of The Conversation UK.

View all partners

Our Sun has a rather lonely existence in the Milky Way galaxy. It sits on its own, four light years away from the nearest star, with only its planetary system for company. But it wasn’t always like this. We almost exclusively observe young stars in groups, so-called stellar nurseries, where they brush shoulders with stellar siblings.

These stellar nurseries are densely populated places, where hundreds of thousands of stars often reside in the same volume of space that the Sun inhabits on its own. Violent interactions, in which stars exchange energy, occur frequently, but not for long. After a few million years, the groups of stars dissipate, populating the Milky Way with more stars.

Our new paper, published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society , shows how massive stars in such stellar nurseries can steal planets away from each other – and what the signs of such theft are.

Almost immediately after young stars are born, planetary systems begin to form around them. We have had indirect evidence of this for more than 30 years. Observations of the light from young stars display an unexpected excess of infrared radiation. This was (and still is) explained as originating from small dust particles (100th of a centimetre) orbiting the star in a disc of material. It is from these dust particles that planets are (eventually) formed.

The field of star and planet formation underwent a revolution in late 2014 when the first images of planet-forming discs around stars were seen with the Atacama Large Millimetre Array (Alma) telescope in the Chilean desert. The first, and subsequent, images from Alma were nothing short of spectacular. Many of the discs had features and structures that can be attributed to the presence of fully formed, Jupiter-like planets.

Planet formation happens rapidly after the onset of star formation, and certainly while the star is still interacting with its siblings in the stellar nursery. Because planets form so quickly, they will be affected by the densely populated star-forming environment. Planets can have their orbits altered, which can manifest in several ways.

Wandering planets

Sometimes, the distance of the planet from the host star becomes either smaller or larger, but more often there is a change to the shape of the orbit - usually becoming less circular (more “eccentric”). Occasionally, a planet is liberated from its orbit around its host star and becomes “free-floating” in the star-forming region, meaning it is not bound to any star by gravity.

A significant fraction of free-forming planets are captured, becoming gravitationally bound to a different star than the one around which they formed. A similar number of planets are even stolen from their orbit - directly exchanged between stars without first being free-floating.

In studying this great planetary heist, we have learned that planets that formed in the most populous star-forming regions may be easily captured or stolen by stars that are very much heavier than our own Sun. Stars form with a wide range of masses. Our Sun is slightly unusual in that it is around twice as heavy as the average mass star in the universe. However, a relatively small number of stars are heavier still, and these “OB-type” stars dominate the light we see in the Milky Way (and other galaxies).

These massive stars are very bright but have much shorter lives than the Sun, and in some instances, they live for only several million years (rather than billions). We might, therefore, not expect to find planets around them.

However, in 2021, the B-star Exoplanet Abundance Study (Beast), led by researchers at the University of Stockholm, discovered a planet orbiting over 550 times the Earth-Sun distance from a star weighing up to ten times the mass of the Sun, and another planet orbiting at 290 times the Earth-Sun distance around a star nine times the mass of the Sun.

The Beast collaboration found these planets (“Beasties”) orbiting stars in the Sco Cen star-forming region , which is currently gradually dissolving into the Milky Way. The original explanation put forward for these Beasties is that they formed just like the gas giant planets in our Solar System, but they are more massive and further out because they are a scaled-up version of our own planetary system.

Massive stars, however, emit copious quantities of ultraviolet radiation, which can evaporate away the gas from which giant planets such as Jupiter and Saturn require to form. So how do Beasties end up around them?

We know from our previous work that planet theft and capture can happen in populous star-forming regions, and so we looked in our simulations for planets that were captured or stolen by massive stars.

Our new explanation for the Beasties is that they ended up in their orbits due to a planetary heist - they were born around other stars and were subsequently captured or stolen by the massive stars. These planetary systems are usually on wide (at least 100 Earth-Sun) orbits, and are highly eccentric - very different to the circular, close-in planets in our Solar System, which we think formed there.

Perhaps there is a captured planet in our Solar System - the elusive and hypothetical Planet 9 - but Jupiter and the other giant planets formed around our Sun.

Our computer simulations also appear to predict the frequency of these systems (one or two per star-forming region), and the orbital characteristics of the Beasties. Future observations will shed more light on the origin of these planets, but for now they represent yet another exciting discovery in the field of exoplanet science.

• Star formation
• Rogue planets

Research Process Engineer

Laboratory Head - RNA Biology

Head of School, School of Arts & Social Sciences, Monash University Malaysia

Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Data Manager

• The Magazine
• Stay Curious
• The Sciences
• Environment
• Planet Earth

Wandering Stars Pass Near Our Solar System Surprisingly Often

Our sun has had close encounters with other stars in the past, and it’s due for a dangerously close one in the not-so-distant future..

Every 50,000 years or so, a nomadic star passes near our solar system. Most brush by without incident. But, every once in a while, one comes so close that it gains a prominent place in Earth’s night sky, as well as knocks distant comets loose from their orbits. 

The most famous of these stellar interlopers is called Scholz’s Star. This small binary star system was discovered in 2013. Its orbital path indicated that, about 70,000 years ago, it passed through the Oort Cloud, the extended sphere of icy bodies that surrounds the fringes of our solar system. Some astronomers even think Scholz’s Star could have sent some of these objects tumbling into the inner solar system when it passed.

However, Scholz’s Star is relatively small and rapidly moving, which should have minimized its effect on the solar system. But in recent years, scientists have been finding that these kinds of encounters happen far more often than once expected. Scholz’s Star wasn’t the first flyby, and it won’t be the last. In fact, we’re on track for a much more dramatic close encounter in the not-too-distant future.

“[Scholz’s Star] probably didn’t have a huge impact, but there should be many more stars that have passed through that are more massive,” astronomer Eric Mamajek of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, whose 2015 paper in Astrophysical Journal Letters put Scholz’s Star on the map, tell Astronomy . 

The Discovery of ‘Scholz’s Star’

Around Christmas 2013, Mamajek was visiting a friend and fellow astronomer, Valentin Ivanov, at the offices of the European Southern Observatory in Santiago, Chile. While the two chatted, Ivanov was looking at recent observations of a star cataloged as WISE J072003.20–084651.2.

The star caught Mamajek’s interest because it was just about 20 light-years away, but astronomers hadn’t noticed it thanks to its dim nature and tiny apparent movement (or proper motion) across our night sky.

To him, those two things were a clue. Since it didn’t appear to be moving much side to side, the star was likely moving toward us or away from us at a breathtaking pace. As the astronomers continued talking, Ivanov measured the star’s radial velocity to learn how quickly it was moving toward or away from our sun. Soon, they had their answer. 

“Within five or 10 minutes, we had the initial results that this thing came within a parsec [3.26 light-years] of the sun,” Mamajek says. “It was screaming through the solar neighborhood.”

The two astronomers and their colleagues would eventually show that it passed even closer than that. In fact, it passed closer to our sun than any other known star. This status prompted them to name the cosmic trespasser after its initial discoverer, an astronomer named Ralf-Dieter Scholz, who’s devoted significant time to finding nearby stars.

All the Other Passing Suns

Mamajek has since moved on from studying Scholz’s Star. But in the meantime, other astronomers have also taken up the work. And, thanks to a European Space Agency satellite called Gaia, which is built to map the precise locations and movements of over a billion stars, we now know about other close encounters. 

In 2018, a team of researchers led by Coryn Bailer-Jones of the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Germany, used Gaia data to plot our sun’s future meet-ups with other stars . They discovered nearly 700 stars that will pass within 15 light-years of our solar system over just the next 15 million years. However, the vast majority of close encounters have yet to be discovered, the team suggests. But they suspect roughly 20 stars should pass within just a couple light-years of us every million years.

However, “space is big,” Mamajek points out. “Statistically, most of those stars would pass the outer edge of our solar system.” That means encounters like the one with Scholz’s Star are common, but only a few are close enough to actually dislodge a significant number of comets, potentially leading to a cosmic bombardment of Earth.

Nonetheless, a few stars should still come surprisingly close. And if a large, slow-moving star did pass through the edge of the Oort Cloud, it could really shake up the solar system.

The ‘Strongest Disrupting Encounter’ in History

A massive star steamrolling through the outer solar system is exactly what Gaia data show will happen 1.4 million years from now, according to a 2016 study. A star called Gliese 710 will pass within 10,000 astronomical units — 1 AU is equal to the average Earth-sun distance of 93 million miles. That’s well within the outer edge of the Oort Cloud.

And at half the mass of the sun, Gliese 710 is much larger than Scholz’s Star, which is just 15 percent the mass of the sun. This means Gliese 710’s hulking gravity could potentially wreak havoc on the orbits of icy bodies in the Oort Cloud. 

And while Scholz’s Star was so tiny it would have been barely visible in the night sky — if at all — Gliese 710 is larger than our current closest neighbor, Proxima Centauri. So when Gliese 710 reaches its closest point to Earth, it will burn as a brilliant orange orb that will outshine every other star in our night sky. 

This event could be “the strongest disrupting encounter in the future and history of the solar system,” the authors wrote in their paper, published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics .

Fortunately, the inner solar system is a relatively tiny target, and even if Gliese 710 does send comets flying our way, it would take millions of additional years for these icy bodies to reach us. That should give any surviving future humans plenty of time to take action.

And in the meantime, they can enjoy watching what may be one of the closest stellar flybys in the history of our solar system.

• solar system

Already a subscriber?

Register or Log In

Keep reading for as low as $1.99!

Sign up for our weekly science updates.

Save up to 40% off the cover price when you subscribe to Discover magazine.

Open-and-go lessons that inspire kids to love science.

Sign up now for tons of free lessons like this one, sign up now for a free trial through june 30, 2025. get tons of lessons.

What are the wandering stars?

Were you surprised? Why or why not?

Which planets move the most quickly in their orbits around the Sun? Which planets move the most slowly?

Reveal answer

The planets closest to the Sun move the most quickly in their orbits. The planets farthest from the Sun move the most slowly. (Mercury is the fastest, Neptune is the slowest.)

People used to think that planets were a type of star. Now we know that planets are worlds. Why did we change our minds about them?

Answers will vary. Here's an example of an accurate answer: We changed our minds about planets being stars when the telescope was invented. Through the telescope, we could see that the planets are worlds, not stars.

In the old view of planets, would the Earth be considered a planet? Why or why not?

The Earth would not have been considered a planet! For ancient people, the word 'planets' meant those stars in the sky that move around from week to week. They didn't know the Earth was a planet going around the Sun.

Okay so now you've seen real, close-up photographs from Mars, Venus, and Mercury. What planets are we missing?

The other planets are Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Are you ready to see some real pictures of them, and hear some cool facts? Let's watch the next video!

Assessments

Below are ideas for extending this topic beyond the activity & exploration which you just completed..

• Lesson Assessment and Answer Key
• Reading: "Galileo"

ELA Activity: My Very Educated Mother

• Activity: Your Age & Weight on Other Worlds
• Research Projects: Combine science and creative writing with Travel Poster & To Live on Another Planet
• Video: A 7-minute video about building a scale model of the solar system in the Nevada desert.
• Distance Learning Resource: Use chalk to make a model of the solar system outside.

This sentence will help you remember the planets in order, starting closest to the sun: My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nachos. Just think of a planet that starts with the first letter of each word: Mercury, Venus, Earth, and so on. Have students create and illustrate with their own sentences to help them remember.

Extra Activity: Age & Weight on Other Worlds

Have your students use online calculators to figure out their age on other planets and their weight on other planets .

Project: Travel Poster

Let each student choose a favorite planet and create a travel poster extolling its virtues as a vacation spot, using fun facts about planets . Two other useful sources of information include PlanetsFor Kids.org and NinePlanets.org .

Project: To Live on Another Planet

Have students write about the challenges of living on another planet. Prompt them to describe what the landscape on this planet looks like. What would the weather be like there? How long is a day? How long is the year? What would they need to survive on this planet?

Make a Model of the Solar System

Make a map of the solar system -- using chalk on the sidewalk. You’ll need 90 feet of sidewalk to get all the way to Neptune!

• Draw a line to mark your starting point. That’s the surface of the Sun. Label it SUN. You’ll make a circle and label each planet, starting with the inner planets, the ones closest to the Sun.
• Take one step to Mercury and mark your place.
• Take one more step to Venus.
• One more step and you’re at Earth. Home sweet home!
• Take one more step and a baby step, and you’re at Mars. Now it’s time to go to the outer planets.
• Take ten steps to Jupiter.
• Take 15 steps to Saturn.
• Take 30 steps to Uranus.
• Finally, take 30 steps to Neptune. You are a long way from home now!

Image & Video Credits

Mystery Science respects the intellectual property rights of the owners of visual assets. We make every effort to use images and videos under appropriate licenses from the owner or by reaching out to the owner to get explicit permission. If you are the owner of a visual and believe we are using it without permission, please contact us —we will reply promptly and make things right.

Featured Reviews

Earth & Space Patterns

Planets & Solar System

Activity Prep

This lesson introduces the “wandering stars.” Students will learn what it means to see them with their own eyes, and will learn some interesting discoveries about each one. In the activity, Running to Neptune, students draw out the planets in our Solar System with chalk on the playground. Then, they play a racing game, running to each planet, reinforcing the names, order, and relative distances between the planets.

I have a Mystery Pack

You need an outdoor area that’s at least 60 feet long where you can mark on the ground with chalk.

Watch the Prep Video

We include an instructional video for this activity that is meant for the teacher, not for students. The video walks you through how to mark the string at particular increments with permanent marker, which needs to be prepared in advance of the activity.

Share this lesson

Student link, google classroom, email parents, extend this lesson, ela activity, distance learning, transcripts.

How can we improve it?

If you'd like our team to reply to you, please Contact Support instead.

Thanks for your feedback! If you have a question or need help, please contact us . Please consider sharing your review:

Sorry the lesson didn’t go well. We read every single review in an effort to improve our Mysteries.

Thanks for letting us know. We’ll wait to ask you for feedback until after you've actually taught it.

Thanks for the feedback! We read every single review in an effort to improve our Mysteries.

Is the video not playing properly?

• Very rarely a video will fail to completely load in your browser. Try to reload this page to see if that fixes the problem.
• If reloading does not help, try our other video player .
• If the video still fails to play, open this video in a new tab and please let us know you’re having trouble. We want to fix this issue for you.

How can we help you?

This episode is locked.

This lesson is not included in your limited access.

Invite 5 or more friends and we'll unlock all previous episodes as a thank you!

Why is the sky blue?

Why do we call them doughnuts?

Could a turtle live outside its shell?

No-spam Policy

Any emails you provide are only used to enable you to send an email to your friends. You will see a preview of the email and can edit it before sending. These people won’t be added to any lists, and at most they will receive one follow up email from our founder, Doug. They will never be spammed. For more information, check out our privacy policy .

Your membership is expired. The archive of past Mini Lessons is not included in your limited access.

• Chrome (recommended)
• Microsoft Edge

share this!

August 16, 2018

Aboriginal traditions describe the complex motions of planets, the 'wandering stars' of the sky

by Duane W. Hamacher, The Conversation

(Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this story may contain images and voices of people who have died.)

The five planets we can see by naked eye were known to the ancient Greeks as "asteres planetai", meaning "wandering stars ", due to their wandering journey across the sky relative to the fixed stars. This is where we get the word "planet".

But knowledge of the planets and their movements goes back much further, being prominent in the traditions of the oldest continuing cultures in the world.

Recent research reveals a wealth of information about the planets and their complex motions in the Knowledge Systems of Indigenous Australians.

The wandering stars

These systems show that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people carefully observe the complex motions of the planets.

In Wardaman traditions, the planets are ancestor spirits who walk across a celestial road. Wardaman Elder Bill Yidumduma Harney calls it the Dreaming Track in the Sky .

Astronomers call this celestial road the zodiac – the region of sky nine degrees on either side of the ecliptic (the path of the Sun). As the planets orbit the Sun in roughly the same plane, they all are visible along this band of the sky.

Uncle Yidumduma describes the planet-ancestors moving across the sky much like we walk down a busy footpath. We sometimes hurriedly pass each other, or slow down for a chat. Occasionally, we even stop and turn backwards to chat with someone before moving forward again.

Astronomers call this phenomenon retrograde motion. It is an optical effect that occurs as the planets orbit the Sun at different distances and velocities. It means the planets can appear to slow down and move backwards for a time before returning to their normal motion.

There are five planets visible to the naked eye and right now, and you can see at least four – Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn – in the sky at sunset from most locations across Australia . All of these planets are currently in retrograde motion.

The (non) twinkling stars

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people recognise that these wandering stars generally do not twinkle – a phenomenon the Meriam people of the eastern Torres Strait call epreki and observe to predict weather and seasonal change.

But sometimes they do twinkle, particularly if they are very low on the horizon. Kamilaroi people of northern New South Wales say Venus occasionally twinkles when it's low in the sky. They say it's an old man who told a rude joke and has been laughing ever since.

In the traditions of the Euahlayi people – neighbours of the Kamilaroi – Venus and Mars relate to songlines and trade with Arrernte people of the Central Desert.

During special ceremonies, the Arrernte travel from the MacDonnell Ranges to northern New South Wales, bringing with them a red stone that signifies Mars. The Euahlayi people bring a green and blue stone to the ceremony, representing Venus. They are seen as the different-coloured eyes of the creator spirit Baayami .

Venus—the Morning and Evening Star

Venus is commonly known in many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures as both the Morning and Evening Star.

In the Dreaming stories of the Western Arrernte, a celestial baby fell from the Milky Way, striking the ground and creating the giant meteorite crater called Tnorala (Gosses Bluff). The child's parents – the Morning and Evening Stars – take turns searching for their lost child to this day.

Arrernte mothers warn their children not to look at the Morning or Evening Star, as the celestial parents might mistake them for their lost child and carry them away to the sky.

In Yolngu traditions of Arnhem Land, a special ceremony is held to signify the rising of the Creation ancestor, Banumbirr (Venus), between the mainland and a Burralku – the sacred island of the dead.

The ceremony starts at dusk and continues through the night, reaching a climax when Banumbirr rises a few hours before dawn as Venus transitions from the Evening Star to the Morning Star. Banumbirr communicates with the people through a faint rope that holds her close to the Sun.

Astronomers call this zodiacal light – the glow of dust in the plane of the Solar System.

The first rising of Venus as the Morning Star, after it transitions from the Evening Star, occurs every 584 days. Astronomers refer to this as Venus' synodic period .

When astronomer Ray Norris asked a Yolngu elder how the people know when to hold the Banumbirr ceremony, the elder responded: "We count the days!"

That's an achievement not often recognised, and just another example of the detailed understanding of these "wandering stars" in the Knowledge Systems of Indigenous Australians.

Kirsten Banks , a Wiradjuri woman and astrophysics graduate from the University of New South Wales, contributed to this research and this article. She can be contacted at [email protected]

Provided by The Conversation

Explore further

Feedback to editors

Human bodies mostly recover from space, tourist mission shows

11 minutes ago

Unlocking the future of sustainable mining through carbon sequestration

17 minutes ago

Scientists engineer yellow-seeded camelina with high oil output

Are plants intelligent? It depends on the definition

Short commercial space flights may not have big impact on health

2 hours ago

4,000-year-old Greek hilltop site mystifies archaeologists. It could spell trouble for new airport

3 hours ago

Scientists make and test efficient water-splitting catalyst predicted by theory

AI method reveals millions of dead trees hidden among the living before California's historic 2020 wildfires

How members of the microbiome specifically fight Salmonella infections

A chain of copper and carbon atoms may be the thinnest metallic wire

4 hours ago

Relevant PhysicsForums posts

Should luminosity distance be 0 at z=0, solar activity and space weather update thread.

11 hours ago

Will we ever communicate with extraterrestial life in a reasonable time frame?

22 hours ago

Unknown Radio Signal from Space Repeats Every Hour -- Usually

Jun 10, 2024

Dark Energy: Are We All Missing The Obvious?

Jun 9, 2024

Our Beautiful Universe - Photos and Videos

Jun 8, 2024

More from Astronomy and Astrophysics

Related Stories

Jupiter, Venus and Mars stand proud in the morning sky

Oct 14, 2015

Dance of the planets in the evening sky

Feb 19, 2015

Your guide to see five planets after sunset

Jul 21, 2016

Astronomy in Indigenous knowledge

Dec 1, 2014

Mystery of the Star of Bethlehem unlikely to be resolved

Dec 19, 2017

All five bright planets come together in the morning sky

Jan 15, 2016

Recommended for you

Chinese astronomers discover a high-velocity star ejected from globular cluster Messier 15

7 hours ago

Hubble Space Telescope finds surprises around a star that erupted 40 years ago

First map of outflows from nearby quasar I Zwicky 1

13 hours ago

Origins of fast radio bursts come into focus through polarized light

6 hours ago

How did a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way come to be? Physicists offer an explanation

Webb opens new window on supernova science

23 hours ago

Let us know if there is a problem with our content

Use this form if you have come across a typo, inaccuracy or would like to send an edit request for the content on this page. For general inquiries, please use our contact form . For general feedback, use the public comments section below (please adhere to guidelines ).

Please select the most appropriate category to facilitate processing of your request

Thank you for taking time to provide your feedback to the editors.

Your feedback is important to us. However, we do not guarantee individual replies due to the high volume of messages.

E-mail the story

Your email address is used only to let the recipient know who sent the email. Neither your address nor the recipient's address will be used for any other purpose. The information you enter will appear in your e-mail message and is not retained by Phys.org in any form.

Newsletter sign up

Get weekly and/or daily updates delivered to your inbox. You can unsubscribe at any time and we'll never share your details to third parties.

More information Privacy policy

Donate and enjoy an ad-free experience

We keep our content available to everyone. Consider supporting Science X's mission by getting a premium account.

E-mail newsletter

Rogue planets may originate from 'twisted Tatooine' double star systems

"Rogue planets are not alone; we should not let them be orphans but consider them members of our planetary family."

Star Wars fans will definitely get a kick out of binary star systems nicknamed " Tatooine " systems — a reference to the planet Luke Skywalker stands on to gaze up at twin suns in Star Wars: A New Hope . As it turns out, some of the planets in the real-life versions of these systems may have been getting a much more literal kick out of them, too.

New research suggests " rogue planets " that wander the Milky Way — aka, planets that are isolated from parent stars and live as cosmic orphans — may be getting kicked out of double, or binary, star systems . But there's a twist (literally)! 

The team found that rogue planets are more likely to be ejected from "twisted Tatooine" systems specifically. These are systems in which the stars and the planets that orbit those are misaligned, thus existing at tilted angles from one another.

As telescopes have improved, the detection of these rogue planets has burgeoned to the point that astronomers think free-floating planetary bodies vastly outnumber stars in cozy arrangements, like the solar system, in the Milky Way. Recent projects put the number of rogue planets ejected from their home systems in our galaxy as high as a quadrillion (10 followed by 14 zeroes). These new twisted-Tatooine findings could help explain why rogue planets are so common.

Related: NASA's TESS exoplanet hunter may have spotted its 1st rogue planet

"A normal planetary system, like our solar system , is comprised of multiple planets orbiting a single star. On the other hand, binary stars are also common, accounting for more than 50% of star systems," Cheng Chen, team leader and an astrophysicist at the University of Leeds, told Space.com. "If there are planets orbiting around a binary, we call it a 'circumbinary planetary system.'" 

While we know that planet formation is a byproduct of star formation, we still don’t know the production rates of planets. That's because we can't be sure how many are being ejected from their systems and wandering the galaxy as tough-to-spot, icy bodies. These would be bodies that aren't illuminated nor heated by a parent star. 

Get the Space.com Newsletter

Breaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more!

"More precise rogue planet demographic determinations can help us complete the last piece of the planet formation puzzle," Chen said.

He continued by explaining that some of these planets' orbital planes may not be aligned with the orbital planes of their host binary stars . Astronomers call these "tilted circumbinary planets," and investigating them could reveal the dominant mechanism for generating free-floating planets.

Kicked from their cosmic homes

Scientists think believe orphan planets form around infant stars just like planets that remain "bound" to their stellar parent do. Stars are basically born from a collapsing cloud of gas and dust, but this process doesn't consume all of the material in that cloud, thus leaving stars surrounded by " protoplanetary disks ." Overly dense regions of these disks collapse and give rise to planets. Around 4.6 billion years ago, that's what gave rise to the solar system and its planets , including Earth. 

The period following planet formation is believed to be especially chaotic for these fledgling systems, leading to "messy" gravitational interactions that can eject planets.

In fact, researchers theorize our solar system may once have had a fifth giant planet alongside Jupiter , Saturn , Uranus and Neptune during a chaotic period called "late instability." The idea is that this "extra" planet was shifted from its orbit, then gravitational interactions with the other giant planets would have caused the unfortunate planet to be exiled from the solar system altogether.

Chen and his team didn't focus on a relatively simple, single-star system like the solar system to investigate rogue planet origins, however. Instead, they focused on more complex binary star systems, like the one seen in that iconic sunset over Tatooine.

"Three or more body problems are much more complicated than two-body problems. The inner stellar binary can disturb the planet due to dynamical effects," Chen said. "On the other hand, planet-planet interactions can also disturb planetary orbits."

The team simulated planetary systems in which two planets are separated by some distance from their stars and trace out orbits that are  i nclined in relation to the orbit of the central binary stars. 

Chen and colleagues experimented with a variety of systems featuring a differing range of orbital inclinations and a spread of planetary separations. They also tinkered with the masses of the planets involved while still keeping one planet more massive than the other. 

"We found that a massive planet like Jupiter could disturb other smaller planets around the binary and eject them from the system. This can occur when two planets are close or when they are located around orbital resonance regions," Chen said.

The Leeds University researcher further explained that the team's previous study found that two Jupiter-sized planets around a single star can become unstable when their separation is very small, less than two times the distance between Earth and the sun. In this study, however, they found that one tilted massive planet around a binary can cause small planet ejections even when their separations are wider.

This surprised Chen and colleagues, as it revealed a more diverse range of planets could be ejected from twisted Tatooine systems than previously predicted.

"Initially, we thought only two massive planets around the binary could be ejected due to the strong dynamic effects between the two planets and the planet-binary interactions," Chen said. "We didn’t expect that small planets could be ejected so efficiently. As a result, circumbinary systems could produce rogue planets ranging from small to large."

"Small planets are more common than high-mass planets," he continued. "Consequently, these systems may contribute to the population of rogue planets in the universe."

This means the systems the team investigated could account for the predicted wealth of Earth-sized rogue planets.  

— A 'captured' alien planet may be hiding at the edge of our solar system — and it's not 'Planet X'

— 400 Earth-size rogue planets could be wandering the Milky Way

— A cosmic 'fossil record' could be hidden among orphaned stars

Chen explained that the team is currently looking for other mechanisms that could also produce rogue planets. This includes the possibility that other stars could fly by planetary systems and cause a gravitational disturbance that leads to a planet being exiled. This could be a rather efficient way to produce rogue planets, whether from around a single star or from a binary system.

Chen is unlikely to give up his investigation into rogue planets. This means the Taiwanese astronomer's efforts could help to bring these cosmic orphans unbound from their stars "in from the cold" — at least figuratively.

"I like planets! When I was 8 years old, I decided to become an astronomer and studied the nine planets in our solar system before Mike Brown changed that by reclassifying Pluto," Chen joked. "However, nowadays, more than 10,000 exoplanets have been found, displaying unexpected characteristics for us to study. Rogue planets are not alone; we should not let them be orphans but consider them members of our planetary family."

The team's research is published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: [email protected].

Robert Lea is a science journalist in the U.K. whose articles have been published in Physics World, New Scientist, Astronomy Magazine, All About Space, Newsweek and ZME Science. He also writes about science communication for Elsevier and the European Journal of Physics. Rob holds a bachelor of science degree in physics and astronomy from the U.K.’s Open University. Follow him on Twitter @sciencef1rst.

NASA funds tech development for life-hunting Habitable Worlds Observatory

NASA exoplanet hunter finds 'weird' world surviving a star's relentless bombardment — it's named Phoenix

India's Aditya-L1 solar probe snaps shots of our hyperactive sun during May outburst (photos)

• skynr13 So, if 50% of star systems are binary, I wonder how many of these are twisted? Reply
• View All 1 Comment

Most Popular

• 2 A missing link in the timeline of Earth's chemistry may have been found
• 3 SpaceX's Inspiration4 astronauts got genetically younger in space: study
• 4 NASA funds tech development for life-hunting Habitable Worlds Observatory
• 5 DARPA unveils 6 new designs for uncrewed vertical-takeoff military aircraft, eyes 2026 test flights

Digital Dante

Diagramming dante, diagramming dante: astronomy in the  commedia (2020).

Louis J. Moffa, Jr., Columbia University

• Introduction
• Note on “Fixed Stars” and “Wandering Stars”
• Note on Method of Presentation
• Astronomical Diagrams of Inferno
• Astronomical Diagrams of Purgatorio
• Astronomical Diagrams of Paradiso

Bibliography

The goal of this project is to bring clarity to some of the most seemingly complex passages in the Divina Commedia : those that deal with astronomical and astrological matters. In his 1903 Studies in Dante , Edward Moore wrote, “[i]t is a matter of regret that even students of ability and culture often refuse so much as to attempt to understand Dante’s astronomical references. They assume either that they are not to be understood at all, or at least not without special astronomical and mathematical training” (p. 1). Though there are many useful studies that treat astronomy and astrology in the Commedia , Moore’s comment still rings true. The difficulty that readers perceive in grasping Dante’s astronomical references is due to several factors, all of which serve to distance the contemporary reader of the Commedia from the poet.

For starters, the language of medieval astronomy is intricate, technical, and dense. It requires that a reader define many key terms before attempting to grasp the literal level of any astronomical discourse. Second, Dante saw the cosmos through a Ptolemaic lens, one which located the Earth at the fixed center of a spinning universe. Readers of the Commedia today see the cosmos through a Copernican lens, subscribing to a heliocentric model of the solar system with a rotating Earth. Third, in Dante’s time astronomy and astrology comprised the final liberal art of the quadrivium , making it a commonplace of intellectual and academic life; today instead faculties of thought are much more segregated and most readers of Dante tend not to equivalently study astronomy, physics, or the history of science. Lastly, Dante’s world was not riddled with artificial lights, and he did not tell time by a mechanic clock. As a society we mediate and understand time very differently than he did, and those of us who live near large cities do not see the stars at night. The moving sky is not as present a component of daily life for us as it was for Dante. 

To help cover this distance, I begin with a quick overview of the tenets of Ptolemaic cosmology, and then move to addressing sections of the Commedia that feature astronomical or astrological references. As Richard Kay, among others, has pointed out, the distinction between the terms astronomy and astrology is less concrete for Dante than it is for us (p. 1, notes 1-3). Medieval thinkers did not regard the latter skeptically as a pseudo-science, which is more or less the norm today. For this reason, my analysis of the text engages in both astronomy and astrology (using today’s nomenclature) in order to adequately treat the text’s presentation of the stars.

In the above diagram, Nc and Nt mark the North celestial and North terrestrial poles; Et and Ec mark the terrestrial and celestial equator; and St and Sc mark the South terrestrial and South celestial poles. The poles are points while the equator is a plane.

The Ptolemaic system which Dante inherits begins with a few initial postulates about the Earth:

(1) the center of the Earth is the center of the universe

(2) the Earth is a sphere

(3) the Earth is unmoving 

These postulates were derived from observing the movements of the planets and stars over long periods of time and drawing conclusions from recurrent patterns. The Ptolemaic model persisted with some amendments until the time of Galileo, and though Ptolemaic astronomy has limits and flaws, it was (and still is) a useful theoretical model for tracking and predicting the movement of the stars and planets in the night sky. 

Note that the Sun and the Moon are both considered to be planets in this framework. This system views the planets as “ wandering stars ,” a category which comprises the seven bodies which appear to exhibit a second, westward motion counter to the eastward motion of everything in the sky. Of course, today we know that everything in the sky appears to move from east to west due to the Earth’s rotation; in Dante’s time and prior, this movement was considered an essential quality of the celestial bodies and spheres. Along with the Sun and Moon, the other wandering stars are the five planets visible to the naked eye: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn (Neptune, Uranus, and Pluto are not visible without a telescope and as such had not yet been discovered). The term wandering stars is a distinction from what we would call constellations, which do not appear to ‘wander’ but instead only exhibit the shared easterly motion. The constellations are referred to as the “ fixed stars ,” for they do not wander. [ For more on the terminology “wandering stars” and “fixed stars,” see note below. ]

The fixed and wandering stars are taken to be located on a series of concentric and diaphanous heavenly spheres. The celestial bodies are ordered in the following manner, according to the size of their apparent rotation about the Earth: (1) Moon; (2) Mercury; (3) Venus; (4) Sun; (5) Mars; (6) Jupiter; (7) Saturn; (8) Heaven of the Fixed Stars. The planets and stars are taken to be located on the surface of the spheres which they inhabit. With the Earth at the center, these spheres are nestled like Russian dolls within the heaven of the fixed stars. Further, the north-south axis of the Earth is in perfect alignment with the north-south axis of the celestial sphere, meaning that the celestial poles stand in alignment to the terrestrial poles–and this is necessarily the case since it is the rotation of the Earth which gives the appearances of rotation to the heavens. Accordingly, the Earth’s equator and the celestial equator are concentric circles and are parallel.

As previously mentioned, the wandering stars appear to travel counter to the eastward rotation of the universe. This movement occurs along one the belt of the ecliptic . Each of the wandering stars travels this path, and takes a different amount of time to do so. The Moon is the fastest, and Saturn is the slowest. The ecliptic is concentric to the Earth’s equator and the celestial equator, but it is not parallel to them. The ecliptic is on an angle of approximately 23.4 degrees with respect to the equators. Dante describes the ecliptic as “torta” in both the Commedia and the Convivio , in reference to this distortion with respect to the equator (See Paradiso 10.16; Convivio 3.5.13). Since the ecliptic is on an angle with respect to the equator, the planets appear to move between the hemispheres. When the Sun appears to be in the northern hemisphere, the northern hemisphere experiences its spring and summer. Likewise, when it shifts into the southern hemisphere, the northern hemisphere experiences its fall and winter. The ecliptic intersects the equator at two points: the “first point of Aries” and the “first point of Libra.”

Due to a phenomenon known as “precession of the equinoxes” (first discovered by the Greek astronomer Hipparchus), the constellations appear to slip gradually across the sky. Today we know this to be caused by the Earth’s wobbling as it rotates; the result of this phenomenon is that the section of sky through which the planets appear to wander has shifted a bit since the ancient inception of astronomy and astrology. Though it is no more the case, it used to be so aligned that the path of the wandering stars covered the belt of the Zodiac, or the twelve constellations: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces. Despite precession, astrological tradition still acknowledges the ‘signs’ of the constellations as fixed positions in the sky: the constellation Aries, for example, is no longer located at the the vernal equinox, but the sign of Aries is still recognized as the 30-degree section of the ecliptic whose beginning is marked by the first day of spring. 

This is one way of imagining the wandering stars moving about the Earth.

Note that ecliptic is a circle, meaning it contains 360 degrees and as previously mentioned comprises the 12 signs. Each constellation accordingly comprises 30 degrees of the circle. The constellations of Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn mark particular points along this circle because, when the sun appears to enter into one of them, we note the change of a season: in the northern hemisphere Aries is the start of spring, Cancer of summer, Libra of fall, and Capricorn of winter.

As previously mentioned, the “first point of Aries” is one of two points where the ecliptic and equator intersect, these two intersecting points being the equinoxes . For the northern hemisphere, when the sun crosses the first point of Aries, night and day are equal (hence “equi-nox”). As the sun moves further into the northern hemisphere, the days grow longer until the summer solstice , the day on which the sun appears to stand still (hence “sol-stit”) before beginning its descent back to the southern hemisphere, during which time the days grow shorter. After the solstice, the sun descends to the “first point of Libra,” or the autumnal equinox , when, again, day and night are equal. On this day the Sun reaches the southern hemisphere again. It will descend further into the southern hemisphere until the winter solstice , after which it will begin to ascend again and return to the first point of Aries, starting the cycle anew. Dante explains this exact process in detail in Convivio 3.5. 

From the perspective of the southern hemisphere, the first point of Aries represents the autumnal equinox, and the seasons are precisely opposite.

This is another way of imagining the movement of the Sun along the ecliptic.

Six of the constellations are located in the northern hemisphere: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, and Virgo; and six in the southern hemisphere: Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces.

Cancer is the northernmost constellation, at the height of the Ecliptic, approximately 23.4 degrees north of the line of the equator. Capricorn, which stands 180 degrees opposite to Cancer, is the southernmost, approximately 23.4 degrees south of the equator. If an observer were to sit on the Equator and mark the position of the Sun once a day, at the same time every day for a year, they would see the sun gradually rise 23.4 degrees from the vernal equinox until the summer solstice; descend 23.4 degrees from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox; descend another 23.4 degrees until the winter solstice; and ascend again, returning to the vernal equinox. If the observer captured a picture of the Sun at the same time every day for a year and put them all together, it would form an analemma , or a figure-8 in the sky.

A note on the terminology “fixed stars” versus “wandering stars” from Plato’s Timaeus , Isidore’s Etymologia , and Dante’s Convivio

The distinction of “wandering” versus “fixed” stars is common terminology used by astrologers and astronomers in the medieval period. Accordingly, Dante will use the terms pianeta and stelle fisse in reference to these entities in the cosmos. In English, the best rendering of these two terms is “wandering stars” and “fixed stars,” respectively, since the English “planet,” to modern readers of Dante, will implicitly exclude the Sun and the Moon.

Fundamentally, the term “wandering star” is a reference to the unique motion of the seven objects in our solar system which move along the Ecliptic: the Moon, Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. These are understood in contrast with the constellations, which remain fixed in the background on the celestial sphere as the planets “wander.” The distinction originates with the Greek philosophers, who called the stars that moved along the Ecliptic πλανήτης or “wandering ones,” which, in Latin, later became planetae .

In Plato’s Timaeus , which Dante will reference in Paradiso 4, these two distinct kinds of movement are addressed at some length as Timaeus recounts the story of the creation of the universe.

Next, he [the creator of the universe] sliced this entire compound in two along its length, joined the two halves together center to center like an X, and bent them back in a circle, attaching each half to itself end to end and to the ends of the other half at the point opposite to the one where they had been joined together. He then included them in that motion which revolves in the same place without variation, and began to make the one the outer, and the other the inner circle. And he decreed that the outer movement should be the movement of the Same , while the inner one should be that of the Different . […] and he made the revolution of the Same, i.e. the uniform, the dominant one in that he left this one alone undivided, while he divided the inner one six times, to make seven unequal circles. (36c-d)

Here, Timaeus’s terminology, “the movement of the Same ,” accords to the rotation of the heavens about the celestial axis, or the way that the Sun and the other stars appear to rise and set over the line of the horizon on a daily basis. On the other hand, “[the movement] of the Different ,” is a reference to the varied movement of all the wandering stars along the Ecliptic. Indeed, the description of the fashioning of a shape that resembles an X with the ends bent back and attached in circles is precisely the manner in which astrologers and astronomers depict the lines of the equator and the Ecliptic in the Ptolemaic system (see diagram for Inferno 1 for a visual representation of this).

Timaeus goes on:

Such was the reason, then, such the god’s design for the coming to be of time, that he brought into being the Sun, the Moon, and five other stars, for the begetting of time. These are called “ wanderers ,” ( πλανητά ) and they came to be in order to set the limits to and stand guard over the numbers of time. When god had finished making a body for each of them, he placed them into the orbits traced by the period of the Different—seven bodies in seven orbits. (38c-d)

The language in the Timaeus addresses the dual movement of the heavens as that of sameness and difference: “the movement of the Same” is the diurnal motion about the celestial axis, which is shared by everything in the sky, while “[the movement] of the Different” is the movement of the seven wandering stars along the line of the Ecliptic. As Timaeus serves to underscore, linguistically speaking, the Greek term πλανήτης is a reference to the unique movement observed in the motion of these particular seven stars in the sky (cf. Liddel, πλανάω , “to make to wander, lead wandering about” or, when passive, “to wander, to roam about, stray”).

Dante did not read Greek, however. To trace how the terminology reaches Dante, we can consult Isidore, who, in Book III of the Etymologiae , expands on the concept:

De Sphaerae Caelestis Situ.

Philosophi autem mundi septem caeolos, id est planetas , globorum consono motu introduxerunt, quorum orbibus conexa memorant omnia, quos sibi innexos et velut insertos versari retro et [e] contrario ceteris motu ferri arbitrantur. (xxxii)

[The philosophers have proposed seven heavens belonging to the universe, that is, seven planets , from the coordinated motion of their spheres. They hold that everything is connected to the orbital paths of these planets, and they think that the planets are interconnected and in a way inserted within one another, and that they turn backwards and are carried by a motion that is opposite to the other heavenly bodies. (Barney, et al. translation)]

De Stellis Planetis.

Quaedam stellae ideo planetae dicuntur, id est errantes , quia per totum mundum vario motu discurrunt. Unde pro eo, quod errant, retrograde dicuntur, vel anomala efficiuntur, id est, quando particulas addunt et detrahunt. (lxviii)

[Certain stars are called planets , that is, ‘ wandering ones ,’ because they range through the entire cosmos with a varying motion. It is because of their wandering that they are called retrograde, or are rendered irregular when they add or subtract orbital degrees. (Barney, et al. translation)]

The Latin planetas , as Isidore underscores, is a term derived from the Greek philosophic tradition.Thus, the “wandering” exhibited by the seven “planets” is the characteristic that distinguishes them from all the other stars in the sky, which sit still, or “fixed,” on the backdrop of the celestial sphere. In summation: every light in the sky shares in what Timaeus calls “the movement of the Same,” but only the planetae exhibit the movement of “the Different.” This distinction in the motion of the stars is what will ultimately lead Dante, among others, to posit the manifold spheres that comprise the physical cosmos and develop the cosmological system that grounds the entirety of Paradiso .

Dante in the Convivio will refer to the constellations as le stelle fisse (cf. 2.3.3 and 2.14.7). Accordingly, he will at times use the term pianeta , meaning a star which wanders (2.13.7 and 2.13.28), when treating the “planets,” while at other times he will refer to them simply as “stella”—as in “la stella di Venere” (2.2.1); “la stella di Marte” (2.13.22); or “Giove è stella di temperata complessione” (2.13.25). Throughout the Commedia , as we will see, he employs the same terminology: stelle fisse for the fixed stars, and pianeta or stella for the wandering stars. Dante does not, however, use the term “stella errante” or any such terminology. I use this terminology in English to make it clear that the Sun and the Moon are included in the medieval discourse on planets, despite the fact that today we do not consider them to be such.

Alighieri, Dante. Convivio . edited by Gianfranco Fioravanti. Mondadori, 2019.

Isidore of Seville, Saint.  Isidori Hispalensis Episcopi Etymologiarum Sive Originum Libri XX . edited by W. M. (Wallace Martin) Lindsay. Clarendon Press, 1911.

Isidore of Seville, Saint. The Etymologies of Isidore of Seville . edited and translated by Stephen A. Barney, W. J. Lewis, J. A. Bach, and Oliver Berghof. Cambridge University Press, 2006.

Kay, Richard. Dante’s Christian Astrology. University of Pennsylvania Press, 1994.

Liddell, Henry George. A Greek-English Lexicon. Clarendon Press, 1901.Moore, Edward. Studies in Dante. Third Series. Miscellaneous Essays . Clarendon Press, 1903.

Plato. “Timaeus” in Complete Works . edited by John M. Cooper and D.S. Hutchinson. Hackett Publishing Company, 1997.

Recommended Citation : Moffa, Jr., Louis J. “Diagramming Dante: Astronomy in the  Commedia .” Digital Dante . Columbia University Libraries, 2020. https://digitaldante.columbia.edu/moffa-astronomy / .

Bjorkbloggen

Blog posts in swedish and english bibelfrågor med ämnen som fri vilja, rättfärdighet, lag, synd, nåd, planets in the creation account, wandering stars, fallen angels – jude 13.

“Wandering”  derives from the Greek noun  πλανήτης ( planétés , Strong’s 4107), and is only used in the Bible in Jude 1:13, where we can read about wandering stars. About this word we can read in Biblehub that it derives from the verb πλανάω  ( planáo , Strong’s 4105) with the meaning of go astray, deceive, get off course, wander or cause to wander.  This verb is used 39 times in the KJV. It can be used to signify a star that is wandering (a planet), and in a figurative sense it could mean a false teacher exploiting other aimless people leading them to go astray. This verb is also used to describe the Israelites’  wandering  around in the desert during the Exodus.

Matt. 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive ( planáo , Strong’s 4105) you. 5  For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive ( planáo , Strong’s 4105) many. —  11  And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.   2 Tim. 3: 13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving ,( planáo , Strong’s 4105) and being deceived ( planáo , Strong’s 4105). 14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; Ja. 5: 19 Brethren, if any of you do err ( planáo , Strong’s 4105):  from the truth, and one convert him; 20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins. 2 Pet. 2: 13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; 14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: 15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray ( planáo , Strong’s 4105) , following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

This is where the English word “planet” is coming from, and it is a word which we can also recognize in numerous other languages (with minor differences in spelling).

Many have asked why planets are not mentioned in the Bible, but only the earth, the sun and the moon. Should they not get a mention? If the planets are in fact  “stars” they are already mentioned. The Bible seems to refer to the planets (what we today understand as planets) as  wandering stars in Jude 13, in contrast to the other stars in the sky . Most stars are not wandering at all but are fixed in their proper places – many of them belong in certain star constellations which can be seen from earth – yet certain stars are considered to be wandering. The planets/the wandering stars are seven in number just like our weekdays: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and  Neptune. They are all tied to various gods in ancient times.

The earth is described as being created prior to light on the first day and is a place which God intended to be inhabited (Isa. 45:18), which means that he did not wait to accomplish this goal for billions of years. The stars (the fixed stars and the wandering ones) on the other hand were created on the 4th day, and they are something entirely different than our unique earth.

The purpose of the earth was to be inhabited with human beings, animals and vegetation. The purpose of the sun and the moon (each described as lights) was to  divide the day from the night, to be signs (for certain seasons, days and years) and  to give light on the earth. The purpose of the stars was apparently to help out providing light and signs for the inhabitants of earth. We can read about the stars  “he made the stars also” just after describing the purpose of the sun and the moon, and the author goes on to say “ God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,   And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness” which works out well for all the celestial lights. 

Based on the book of Enoch and the Bible, the sun is referred to as He , and the moon as She .

Is. 13:10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine . Ez. 32:7 And when I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light. Judg. 5:31 So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord: but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.

Seven stars?

Amos 5:8 Seek him that maketh the seven  star s and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The  Lord  is his name:

The above could of course signify an open star cluster called the  Pleiades (the seven sisters), in the constellation of Taurus. It is the cluster most obvious to the naked eye in the sky. Orion is, like Taurus, a star constellation. Maybe it could also refer to the seven wandering stars.

Gen. 1: 3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. 5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. 6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. 7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. 8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.— 14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: 15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. 16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also . 17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, 18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. 19 And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

Fallen angels

The Bible mentions angels which kept not their first estate but left their own habitation. Jude also compared with the unnatural way that the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrha lived their life with sexual perversion (homosexuality):

Jude 1: 6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. 7  Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication , and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Jude  14  And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam , prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,

Jude refers to Enoch as “seventh from Adam”, showing that he understood the history in Genesis as being literal (Enoch is indeed the seventh generation from Adam). Jude had no reason to doubt that the description of the sons of God (angels) was literal as well:

Gen. 6:1  And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, 2 That the sons of God s aw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. 3 And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. 4  There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. 5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

Also the book of Enoch and the book of Jasher confirm this story and provide even more details.

The sun (or the stars) were not needed to illuminate the earth the first 3 days (the sun was created on Day 4), and we know from the book of Revelation that the lamb of God (Jesus) will be the one to give us light in the new Jerusalem where a sun will not be needed.

Satan, a beautiful star, fell from heaven due to his rebellion. Now he walks about it trying to deceive people.

Luke 10: 17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. 18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. 1 Pet. 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, WALKETH ABOUT, seeking whom he may devour Job 1: 6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them. 7 And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. (also Job 2:1-2)  

The prince of Tyrus and the prince of the air (Satan) show a similar life pattern to each other as can be seen below. Satan was indeed a bright star:

Ez. 28: 2 Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord God; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God:—   12 Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. 13  Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. 14  Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. 15  Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee . 16 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. 17  Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. 18 Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.

According to Christian flat earth supporters, they believe the stars are smaller and closer to earth, placed in (not above) the firmament. (Read about the Biblical meaning of “firmament”  –  raqia –  in this blog article .) If the stars were larger, they would not be able to fall down to earth but they would cause the earth to burn up long before approaching. This means that we would not be able to read about various events taking place on earth AFTER  the stars had fallen down on it since the earth would then have become non-existent. Still, according to the Bible the life on earth goes on even after the stars will have fallen down on it.

Rev. 6: 13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. 14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. 15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; 16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: Rev: 8: 10 And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; 11 And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter. Rev. 12:4 And his tail drew  the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth : and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. —  9  And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Mark 13: 25 And the stars of heaven shall fall , and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. 26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth t o the uttermost part of heaven.  See also Matt. 24:29 Dan. 8:10 And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them. Ps. 147:4 He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.

The book of Enoch explains that seven particular stars , who were disobedient to God, will receive a terrible punishment in the future:

1 Enoch 21:1. And I proceeded to where things were chaotic. 2. And I saw there something horrible: I saw neither a heaven above nor a firmly founded earth, but a place chaotic and horrible. 3. And there  I saw seven stars of the heaven bound together in it,  like great mountains and  burning with fire.  4. Then I said: ‘For what sin are they bound, and on what account have they been cast in hither?’ 5. Then said Uriel, one of the holy angels, who was with me, and was chief over them, and said: ‘Enoch, why dost thou ask, and why art thou eager for the truth? 6. These are of the number of the stars of heaven, which have  transgressed the commandment of the Lord,  and are bound here  till ten thousand years , the time entailed by their sins, are consummated.’ 7. And from thence I went to another place, which was still more horrible than the former, and I saw a horrible thing: a great fire there which burnt and blazed, and the place was cleft as far as the abyss, being full of great descending columns of fire: neither its extent or magnitude could I see, nor could I conjecture. 8. Then I said: ‘How fearful is the place and how terrible to look upon!’ 9. Then Uriel answered me, one of the holy angels who was with me, and said unto me: ‘Enoch, why hast thou such fear and affright?’ And I answered: ‘Because of this fearful place, and because of the spectacle of the pain.’ 10. And he said unto me: ‘ This place is the prison of the angels, and here they will be imprisoned for ever.’

Why do stars twinkle? It actually looks like they are placed in a layer of water. “ God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament :— And God said, Let there be lights IN the firmament of the heaven.” Read about “the circle of the earth”  (not translated as a ball, globe, or sphere) in Is. 40:22 here . If you want a list with all Bible verses in chronological order which support a geocentric flat earth model, please see this list with comments. 

Stars as they really are, without using CGI the way NASA does:

Share this:

14 thoughts on “ planets in the creation account, wandering stars, fallen angels – jude 13 ”.

This was a great collection of scripture to support Biblical Earth cosmology. I found it tonight after moving to the country and finally seeing the night sky in winter clarity. One of the “planets” was just overhead, but now with the clearness of the cold night sky and lack of air pollution, it actually looks closer to us/Earth than the rest of the stars set in the firmament. At least Enoch supports this, as the wandering stars “transgressed the commandment of the Lord”.

Hey Katy According to the Bible it was the “wandering stars” that you saw (unlike the other immovable stars). Biblical cosmology is vastly different from NASA cosmology. If the Bible is correct, NASA’s cosmology view is wrong, and vice versa. Blessings!

Wait till they discover that Hebrew Cosmology is true. Good enough for Moses.

Like Liked by 1 person

Pingback: STAR GODS ALIGN JUNE 24 – Eye Opening Truth

Pingback: Lucifer, the morning star, who is Satan and the devil – Isaiah 14:12 by Annika Björk | Crossmap Blogs

Pingback: Dogs – Worried Mum

4107. πλανήτης planētēs, plan-ay´-tace; from 4108; a rover (“planet”), i.e. (fig.) an erratic teacher:—wandering.

4108. πλάνος planŏs, plan´-os; of uncert. affin.; roving (as a tramp), i.e. (by impl.) an impostor or misleader:—deceiver, seducing.

Strong, J. (2009). A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible (Vol. 1, p. 58). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.

Satan is indeed roaming around the earth, looking for someone to deceive …

Hello. I would like to post this on my page with your permission, please.

Hello Annette. That is fine by me, but note that Google might, through their algorithms, “punish” people who copy and paste large amounts of texts into their websites/blogs. For example: they might make your site lower in ranking. They are fine with ordinary quotes of course, as long as they are not way too long. GBU

Pingback: 20 b. Stars as Beings – Twenty-first Painting. – Creation, Pen and Brush

Pingback: 19c. Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens …Stars & Planets – Creation, Pen and Brush

Also interesting to note that in v.12 it describes men in the body of Christ who are “twice dead.” A comparison with the rebellious, fallen angels. These believers are now twice dead as like the angels, they rebelled, have fallen and left their salvific estate. One can only be physically dead once. Twice dead indicates spiritual death.

Evan yes! I’ve never paid attention to the significance of that statement. Maybe I should add a sentence about it in the article … Thanks!

Leave a comment Cancel reply

• Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
• Subscribe Subscribed
• Copy shortlink
• Report this content
• View post in Reader
• Manage subscriptions
• Collapse this bar

White Gaming Logo

Gaming Channel

Star Wars Outlaws new gameplay footage may have the best graphics ever

Share this with

No matter what else you say about it, Ubisoft ’s open world Star Wars game definitely looks the part as two new videos are released.

Although the Xbox Games Showcase has clearly ‘won’ this year’s not-E3 marathon of preview events, the competition has technically not ended yet. The Nintendo Direct doesn’t even have a date yet and while not much is expected, given the Switch 2 won’t be unveiled this month, you never really known with Nintendo.

There’s only one third party publisher with an event this year though and that’s Ubisoft, who ran another of their Ubisoft Forward events on Monday evening, which announced… nothing entirely new.

Instead, their focus was on Star Wars Outlaws and Assassin’s Creed Shadows, which although announced before haven’t been seen in action much up until now. Neither had much in the way of surprises in that department but in terms of visuals Outlaws proved absolutely stunning.

Although it’s a multiformat game, Outlaws was unveiled at last year’s Xbox Games Showcase and is billed as both the first proper open world Star Wars games and a Han Solo simulator without Han Solo.

Instead, you play as a new character named Kay Vess, who Ubisoft employees appear contractually obligated to refer to as a ‘scoundrel’ every time they mention her name. The game is set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi and while the overriding storyline is still obscured the idea is that you’ve got enough freedom to work for any criminal cartel you like, picking up jobs and travelling to different planets as you want.

The main new gameplay trailer from Ubisoft Forward starts off with Kay leaving a seedy bar on one planet to travel to the even seedier cantina on Tatooine, leaving time for a brief space dogfight in what seems to be a random event.

The graphics for both bars are absolutely superb, with tons of alien creatures wandering around, lots of authentic Star Wars detail, and excellent lighting. The exterior scenes, where Kay is driving around on a speeder bike, are also very impressive. Although Ubisoft probably weren’t counting on everyone being sick to death of seeing Tatooine again and again, when the game was first planned out all those years ago.

In terms of gameplay it’s clear there’s nothing terribly complicated going on in terms of either combat or stealth, with the most unique gimmick being that Kay has a pet alien named Nix which she can order about to distract or attack guards, and operate machinery. It’s a neat trick, although obviously everything has to be designed with Nix in mind, so there doesn’t seem to be much opportunity to do your own thing.

The most interesting element of gameplay is that the mission you’re on isn’t some super important story mission but an attempt to find a local gunslinger who can treat you a new move, with various other experts offering similarly new skills if you track them down through other multi-stage missions.

That, at least, is unusual and hopefully an indication of the game’s open-ended design. Although as Star Wars nerds we can’t help but admit that what we got most excited about was the binary sunset of Tatooine, the Imperial Troop Transport pulling up, and the fact that the freighters you rescue in the space mission look exactly like the one out of the old PC X-Wing games.

Star Wars authenticity isn’t something Outlaws has to worry about, but whether there’s enough meat on the game’s bones is. It won’t be long till we find out though, as despite this being its first proper gameplay viewing it’s out on August 30 for Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC.

Ubisoft’s Avatar game , by the same studio (which is getting new DLC next month), turned out well so there’s reason to hope this will too. And either way it’s going to be one of the most graphically impressive video games this generation.

Email  [email protected] , leave a comment below,  follow us on Twitter , and  sign-up to our newsletter .

To submit Inbox letters and Reader’s Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our  Submit Stuff page here .

For more stories like this,  check our Gaming page .

MORE : Star Wars: Hunters review – quicker, easier, more seductive

MORE : Total War: Star Wars crossover and Warhammer 40K in the works claim reports

MORE : Star Wars takes over Fortnite with a new world in Lego mode this week

Sign up to all the exclusive gaming content, latest releases before they're seen on the site.

Get us in your feed

Local Flavor: where to eat and drink in Palma de Mallorca

Jun 6, 2024 • 8 min read

Make like the locals for a sundowner aperitivo at Sky Bar at Hotel Hostal Cuba and drink in Palma below © Hotel Hostal Cuba

I’ve watched Palma ’s culinary star shoot high in recent years. Mallorca ’s capital is quickly becoming one of the hottest cities in the Med for food. Raiding sea, mountains, meadows, farms and orchards, chefs are elevating stunningly fresh island produce to the extraordinary in dishes full of flair and creativity. 

Over the past 20 years, Palma has become a love affair on the plate. And eating here is incredibly chilled. You don’t have to book months in advance to score top tables, times are relaxed (Mallorcans typically dine late) and you’re often welcome to just rock up. Part of the beauty of Palma is wandering through its honey-stone streets, starting the day with coffee and pastries on a sunlit plaça, easing gently into a starlit evening with tapas and vermouth in a backstreet vermutería or kicking back with an aperitivo in an inner courtyard bar. No hassle. No rush. No pretense.

Theatrically positioned by the sea, Palma has always looked out across the water to the world beyond. And the world now comes to Palma’s kitchens. Astoundingly fresh sushi, ceviche with pisco sours, Brazilian barbecue, classic French – you’ll find the lot alongside Michelin-starred restaurants where chefs like Marc Fosh and Adrián Quetglas pride themselves on simplicity in dishes that big up Balearic flavors as clean and bright as the light that beats down on these streets.

Most Palma locals save their appetite for lunch and I’ll often take their lead, just grabbing a coffee and pastry. But my, my, what pastries! The Mallorcans excel on this front and pinning down the city’s best ensaïmada (a feather-light, beautifully flaky, snail-shaped pastry lightly dusted with icing sugar) can turn into a quest. I suggest keeping it traditional and heading to the likes of family-run, old-school Ca'n Joan de S'Aigo , which has been baking since 1700, or the Forn del Santo Cristo , where sublime ensaïmades come with silky fillings from marzipan to honey, white chocolate and dulce de leche.  

For something more substantial, nose around the produce-laden stalls at the Mercat de Santa Catalina before nipping into Mama Carmen’s for brunch. A bubble of artsy, back-in-time warmth, this cafe does smoothies, specialty coffees (try the pumpkin-spiced latte), granola bowls sprinkled with seasonal fruits, cacao nibs and edible flowers, impressive vegan eggs and artisan-baked bread with toppings like avocado, rocket and feta—all served with love on pretty vintage crockery.

 If I’m more in a NYC mood, I’ll make for Rosevelvet Bakery near La Rambla instead. They do fabulous coffee, moreish pistachio pastries and brunch specials like pulled pork brioche with pickled onion and coriander and wicked huevos rancheros (Mexican-style eggs).

 Finally, Swedes are doing wonderful things at sourdough bakery Fika Farina , headed up by Mattias Mårtensson and his partner Jimmy Groth. Come for coffee, fresh-pressed orange juice that tastes of pure sunshine and some of the best cinnamon buns, pains au chocolat and open sandwiches you’re likely to get anywhere.

Palma’s coffee scene has exploded recently. Gone are the days when the only options were café con leche (coffee with milk) and cortado (espresso with a splash of milk). Now you can’t move for chat of third-waves and single-origin beans.

 In an untouristy part of town, La Molienda is one of my go-tos for a freshly roasted cup. With an eye on the ethical, sustainable sourcing of beans, this is hands-down some of Palma’s best coffee. When the sun’s out, this corner café’s terrace hums with locals sipping artistically presented cappuccinos and citrusy cold brews.

Bang in the center, just off Plaça Major, Arabay has been going strong since 1952 and is now an industro-cool cafe, roastery and barista academy. These days, it’s all organic and fair trade, and the smell of coffee hits you like a crisp left hook as you step inside. The baristas really know their stuff, whether you go for a frappé or French press.

Wander along tree-lined boulevard Passeig des Born, chuck a left down a quiet street, and you’ll come to Nanø Coffee Lab. This urban-cool, metro-tiled number takes its beans seriously. I love the happy hiss of the La Marzocco espresso machine, the cute window seat (space for max two) and what they rightly call ‘damn good coffee.’

Opposite the food market in the artsy Santa Catalina neighborhood, Mola hits the sweet spot with its breezy blue-and-white splashed interior and chilled atmosphere. On the menu: round-the-world sharing plates bigging up primary ingredients. The zingy Thai salad and perfectly crisp tempura prawns with wasabi mayo are divine. 

Turn the corner and there’s the Market Kitchen , headed up by food-mad Brits Rob and Amber Kirby, who have found their spiritual (foodie) home in Palma. With cookbook writing and TV chef experience under his belt, Rob now devotes his energy into rolling out British-Balearic fusion food in a quirky, vintage-cool bistro setting. The London salt beef bagel with Mahón cheese, cured pickles and homemade crisps is superb, as are the Sunday roasts. Except here, they are often served with mimosas and blood-orange negronis.

More central? Who would think that just a five-minute stroll from Palma’s knockout Gothic cathedral , you would find a treasure like the Forn de Sant Joan , a stunning minimalist conversion of a 19th-century bakery, complete with brick-walled cellar. Here Mallorcan ingredients are imaginatively elevated in dishes like oyster with cold almond soup and salmon roe, slow-cooked lamb with Idiazabal cheese and mint oil, and tuna tartare with guacamole.

Warming up for the evening with a vermouth (fortified wine flavored with spices and herbs) is a thing here. One of the most atmospheric picks is central and buzzy La Rosa Vermutería , where quality red, white and rosé vermouths are nicely paired with tapas.

As the sun sinks and sky pinkens, I love a sky-high aperitivo. There’s a growing crop of rooftop bars in Palma, but few can rival the Sky Bar at Hotel Hostal Cuba for dress-circle views of the Bay of Palma and the cathedral, which glows gold in the moody blues of dusk. They do great cocktails, including a cava-spritzed Bellini and Balearic signatures like Maó Mule (Xoriguer gin with ginger beer, passion fruit and orange bitters). For holiday flavor and a dash of class, the poolside Singular Rooftop Terrace is also good. Slightly more affordable and less posh is the eighth-floor Hotel Almudaina Sky Bar , where the city spreads out at your feet.

Palma’s summery heat and sociable nature mean that I’m often more in the mood to tapear (eat tapas – yep, it’s a verb) when the sun plops into the Med rather than go for a blowout dinner. There are some incredible options for doing just that, with top billing going to La Bodeguilla , run by two food-loving brothers. It’s a grown-up, monochrome space, with giant hunks of jamón serrano dangling from the ceiling and wine-barrel tables referencing the phenomenal wine list that canters boldly around Spain. The produce-led menu pops with island flavors from meltingly tender suckling pig to scarlet shrimp slick with garlicky aioli.

I love  Adrián Quetglas  for a special lunch and for dinner too, it's unmissable. Vertical gardens and fern prints bring a natural touch to this Michelin-starred number. Hailing originally from Buenos Aires, Adrián returned to his Mallorcan family as a passionate traveler, talented chef and advocate for ‘democratizing haute cuisine.’ This is reflected in ingeniously simple dishes like turbot with peas, Tramuntana lemon and lemon verbena, and gazpacho with prawn carpaccio, pickled watermelon and basil-almond ice cream. The five-course lunch is a snip at €55.

But for romance, La Vermutería wins. Tucked away in the palm-speckled inner courtyard of Can Cera, this 17th-century palau (mansion) is now a boutique bolthole in Palma’s old town heart. It’s an enchanting backdrop for zingy cocktails and island wines matched with exquisite island tapas, from Mallorcan cheeses to black pork sobrasada and smoked sea bass. 

If you’re up for more of a party vibe, swing over to dark, sexy Vandal (look out for the graffiti at the entrance). It’s full of retro sparkle and Mallorcans sipping signature cocktails like Sóller Tonic (gin, rosemary and clementine marmalade). Argentine-Italian chef Bernabé Caravotta delivers playful, palate-awakening sharing plates like ceviche cones with coconut foam, pisco Bloody Mary oysters and slow-cooked lamb with labneh and Moroccan spices. All utterly delicious.

If it has been a hot one and I want to dip my toes in the water and peer out across the Med with a sundowner as DJs spin clubby Ibiza tunes, I head to Anima Beach , but a stylish flip-flop from the center.

Later on, for a speakeasy vibe, jazzy beats and mind-blowing drinks, I recommend the Clandestino Cocktail Club . The cocktails here are works of art – take the zesty matador (pisco, calvados, lemon, yuzu foam and Inca bitters), for instance. For time travel, I adore Abaco . Push open the heavy wooden door of this opulent 17th-century palau and you’ll find yourself in a fairy-tale courtyard brimming with fruit, flowers and classical music. Here you can nurse a house cocktail (rum, whisky, Grand Marnier and fruit juice) and feel like a film set extra as candlelight flickers.     

Craving one last, late-night cocktail? Check out Door 13 , hidden in a warren of stone-walled lanes near the old capuchin convent. Find the secret code or ring the bell to be admitted to this speakeasy cave with Great Gatsby-esque décor and bohemian vibes. It’s a smashing spot for inventive cocktails like Miró (gin, dry vermouth, Jalapeños and burnt rosemary) as live bands play everything from flamenco to swing.

Explore related stories

Jun 7, 2024 • 10 min read

Like any heavily touristed destination, it pays to research before you go. Here's an insider's guide to planning the ultimate trip to Mallorca, Spain.

Jul 25, 2023 • 5 min read

Sep 24, 2020 • 6 min read

Feb 11, 2020 • 6 min read

Jan 21, 2020 • 2 min read

Aug 21, 2018 • 5 min read

Oct 28, 2013 • 8 min read

May 30, 2024 • 10 min read