Finally a long held question is answered: are there any planets that are not in orbit around a star, like, free floating through the galaxy, maybe even between galaxies, unattached? You know, the Obsidian Duck of planets?

Indeed, there is at least one: CFBDSIR2149, drifting aimlessly through space, alone. I like it no matter what.

A few things need to be in place for a planet to roam free. It has to do either with how it was made, or how close it comes to other steller masses. Massive objects disrupt each others orbits (and orbitals) when they cross paths, and that can lead to the breakaway.

It would be so interesting to live on a starless planet. Sad because there’d be no sun to wake you up and make you feel good. But cool because you’d be traveling through open space– your night sky (which is your permanent sky) would always be changing, slightly, as you traveled. Your constellations would eventually change as your perspective changes.

You’d think a lonely planet would be hyper cold, with no sun. But CFBDSIR2149 is actually 400°C because of the active gases trapped there. So that’s neat– a sunless planet can be plenty warm. It makes me imagine a planet lit entirely by artificial means– perhaps giant lamps hung by balloon clusters? Also, how would you set your days? There is no “day” on a sunless planet. Or years. All these neat things.

Busy evening and onto a busy weekend. Checking out a cool gallery opening tomorrow night and then dissertation mode all weekend long. Whew.

Later.