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Astronomy

Planet Migration and Its Effects on Planetary System Architecture

Quick fact

Some planets, called hot Jupiters, orbit their stars in just a few days, even though they are gas giants as massive as Jupiter. They couldn't have formed that close to the star, so they must have migrated inward from farther out.

Why this is interesting

You might think planets stay in the orbits where they were born, but many of them actually wander. What happens when a planet migrates through its solar system?