When we think of planets, the first thing that comes to mind is their round shapes, like the Earth. But are there planets in the Universe that are not spherical? In our solar system, all the planets are essentially round. However, outside of it, there may be objects that have a slightly different appearance. Of course, there is no square or triangular planet in space, since this contradicts the laws of physics. The question arises: why are planets round and which of them cannot be called round? To find out the answers to these questions, read our article. Your horizons will definitely be expanded, just like the equators of some planets!
Scientists believe that under certain conditions, planets can take on unexpected shapes. Image source: reddit.com
Contents
- 1 Why are planets round
- 2 Why is the Earth not perfectly round
- 3 An oval-shaped planet
- 4 Donut-shaped planets
Why are planets round
Scientists have long known that planets become round due to a force called gravity. It attracts all particles of matter to the center. When a planet first appears from gas and dust, gravity helps the particles gather in the center, and the planet becomes like a ball.
A sphere is the ideal shape for planets. Image source: dzen.ru
A sphere is the most convenient shape for distributing mass in space. It helps conserve energy and makes the planet more stable. The more mass a planet has, the stronger the gravity and the closer the planet is to being spherical.
Why the Earth Isn't Perfectly Round
According to Live Science, although planets appear round, they are far from perfect. Even our Earth has slight deviations from a perfect sphere. This is due to centrifugal force— a force that acts on a rotating object, causing it to “swell” around the equator. As a result, a small convex “belt” is formed on the Earth at the equator. This effect is not that great, but still noticeable.
The Earth is not perfectly round, but it is hardly noticeable. Image source: center-grad.ru
It is noteworthy that with a faster rotation, the planet can be noticeably deformed, even more so than the Earth. If the rotation is too fast, the planet's poles are flattened, and it takes on a shape resembling a flattened ball or even an American football. In addition, the planet's shape can be affected by the gravitational forces of nearby stars, which can stretch it, giving it a more elongated shape.
Read also: The most amazing photographs of Earth from space in the history of observations
An oval-shaped planet
One of the most striking examples of a flattened planet is the exoplanet WASP-103 b, a gas giant twice the size of Jupiter and one and a half times the mass. The planet orbits a star almost twice the size of our Sun and is very close to it. This location has a significant effect on its shape.
Scientists believe that the exoplanet WASP-103 b is shaped like an American football. Image source: esa.int
Under the influence of the star's gravity, the planet WASP-103 b takes on an elongated, almost “teardrop” shape. This is due to the balance between the gas, which tends to expand the planet, and gravity, which compresses it. As a result, the planet is not only flattened at the poles, but also deformed in the direction of its star.
American football. Image source: pxhere.com
This deformation also affects the rotation of the planet. WASP-103 b always faces its star with one side, like the Moon faces the Earth. The rapid rotation further increases the flattening of its poles, making the planet very “squashed.”
Hell in the vastness of the Universe: NASA has discovered an exoplanet that is constantly burning
Donut-shaped planets
Scientists do not rule out the possibility of the existence of planets with more unusual shapes than just flattened spheres. For example, some suggest that at a very high rotation speed, a planet could take the shape of a torus, that is, become similar to a giant donut. In this case, the centrifugal force directed outward could become so strong that it could overcome the gravity that attracts the planet to its center.
No matter what anyone says, scientists have never seen a donut-shaped planet. Image source: reddit.com
Have you subscribed to our Zen channel yet? If not, it's time to fix that!
However, for now, the existence of such “donut-shaped” planets remains just a theory. Not a single such planet has been discovered, and scientists believe that this is unlikely to happen in the near future. As experts note, this is more the realm of science fiction than reality.