Jupiter almost became a star
Jupiter is basically the solar system's lazy older sibling that never quite lived up to its potential. It is made mostly of hydrogen and helium, the exact same ingredients as our sun, but it lacked the mass required to trigger nuclear fusion. Instead of becoming a star, it just sat there, using its massive gravity to casually consume passing planetesimals and act as a cosmic vacuum cleaner.

Keep exploring facts in this topic.
Science →




