this post was submitted on 06 Dec 2025
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So how come there's an aurora when there's no star to spray it with electromagnetic radiation?
Because the planet produces its own radiation. That much mass means this is less a "planet" and more of a proto star. It's actually large enough to fuse deuterium if the right conditions arise. Pour enough hydrogen in there to raise the mass three of four times what it has now and it'd be comparable to our sun.
Cool, thanks for that!
Would this be a star which wasn't big enough and fizzled out into a big planet?
Every planet is a star which wasn't big enough. Some are just more challenged than others.
So it's like smoke or burning embers before a flame ignites?
better question, is a star required for EMR?
Nah, that's a yes or no question, that's a worse question. I want to know what's causing the aurora, if not a star.