Chapter 1: The Fascination with Jupiter

Recently, a viewer of our Ukrainian channel posed a captivating question:

In Arthur C. Clarke’s “2001: A Space Odyssey,” Jupiter is transformed into a second sun in our solar system. How dramatically would this alter life on Earth, particularly making the nights far brighter?

This query invites us to investigate the feasibility of Jupiter becoming a star and the potential consequences of such a transformation.

Section 1.1: Can Jupiter Transform into a Star?

Many popular science articles designate Jupiter as a "failed star," citing its high hydrogen and helium content. Yet, it lacks the mass required for nuclear fusion to take place in its core, making the label somewhat misleading. While the Sun is about 0.1% the mass of Jupiter, there are stars with even lesser mass—down to 8% of the Sun's mass. Brown dwarfs, often described as failed stars, exist in the gray area between stars and planets.

Theoretically, a star must possess a minimum mass of about 80 Jupiter masses to ignite fusion. Jupiter, unfortunately, does not meet this requirement, lacking the necessary temperature and pressure to initiate hydrogen fusion. Moreover, it cannot even commence deuterium burning, which requires at least 13 Jupiter masses. Therefore, Jupiter is incapable of becoming a star independently.

Subsection 1.1.1: NASA's Near Miss

The Galileo spacecraft, launched in 1989, conducted an eight-year study of Jupiter before its mission concluded with a controlled plunge into the gas giant for atmospheric analysis. During this time, there were concerns that the plutonium-powered reactor onboard might unintentionally trigger a fusion reaction, similar to how plutonium is utilized in hydrogen bombs. Given Jupiter's hydrogen-rich atmosphere, some feared this might ignite a fusion event. Fortunately, such a reaction did not occur, and even if it had, it would have been local and unsustainable.

Section 1.2: Hypothetical Impacts of a Stellar Jupiter

Let’s entertain a hypothetical scenario where Jupiter's mass increased by 80 times, transforming it into a star. Even in this case, we would not witness a second sun from Earth. While this new star would be significantly more massive than Jupiter, its diameter would only increase by 20%, due to the added mass enhancing density rather than volume. Consequently, the brightness of this new red dwarf would reach a maximum of only 0.3% of the Sun's luminosity.

Furthermore, considering Jupiter's distance from Earth—ranging from 588 to 967 million kilometers—even at its closest, it would shine a mere 5300 times dimmer than the Sun. While it would be brighter than a full moon, the warmth we would receive would be minimal.

Chapter 2: Gravitational Effects and Solar System Stability

In this video, titled "What If Jupiter Became a Star?", we examine the potential ramifications of such a transformation and its effects on our solar system.

Another insightful video, "What If Jupiter Formed As A Star! Checking Out Your Solar Systems #259 Universe Sandbox," delves into how Jupiter's mass and gravitational pull could reshape the dynamics of our solar system.

The gravitational pull of Jupiter would increase significantly in this scenario. This new star's influence could affect the Sun and the orbits of other planets, although it would not lead to chaos within the solar system.

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