An eccentric Jupiter is a Jovian planet that orbits its star in an eccentric orbit. Eccentric Jupiters may disqualify a planetary system from having Earth-like planets in it because a massive gas giant with an eccentric orbit may remove all Earth mass planets from the habitable zone.
To date, it appears that approximately 7% of all stars (half of the known planetary systems) have an eccentric Jupiter (e > 0.1), making these planets more common than Hot Jupiters.
Out of the more than 200 extrasolar planet discoveries (as of 2006), 15 planets have high eccentricities (e > 0.6).
The typical exoplanet with an orbital period greater than 5 days has a median eccentricity of 0.23.
Possible habitable zone planets near eccentric Jupiters:
| Planet | SMA | ecc | MJ | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HD 3651 b | 0.29 | 0.61 | 0.22 | Might allow for planets at or beyond 0.6 AU |
| HD 37605 b | 0.26 | 0.73 | 2.84 | Might allow for planets at or beyond 0.8 AU |
| HD 45350 b | 1.92 | 0.77 | 1.79 | restricted stable orbits to the innermost 0.2 AU |
| HD 80606 b | 0.45 | 0.93 | 4.0 | only beyond 1.75 AU did test particles remain |
| HD 89744 b | 0.93 | 0.67 | 8.58 | No planets in the habitable zone |
| 16 Cygni Bb | 1.68 | 0.68 | 1.68 | No planets in the habitable zone |
Famous quotes containing the words eccentric and/or jupiter:
“In a cabinet of natural history, we become sensible of a certain occult recognition and sympathy in regard to the most unwieldy and eccentric forms of beast, fish, and insect.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“Few and signally blessed are those whom Jupiter has destined to be cabbage-planters. For they’ve always one foot on the ground and the other not far from it. Anyone is welcome to argue about felicity and supreme happiness. But the man who plants cabbages I now positively declare to be the happiest of mortals.”
—François Rabelais (c. 1494–1553)