# Jupiter as a star?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jupiter-as-a-star/928441>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 20, 2020, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jupiter-as-a-star/928441 "2020-12-20T02:16:36Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![eburacum\_45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eburacum_45/32/3385_2.png) [@eburacum\_45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eburacum_45)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2020, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jupiter-as-a-star/928441/41 "2020-12-21T20:24:12Z")

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That’s true of any method of stellification. No matter what you do, Jupiter won’t become a star without artificial manipulation.

Incidentally here’s an image Martyn took yesterday showing Jupiter and Saturn next to each other.  
[https://scontent-lhr8-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/132015137\_5197854363558785\_8017106124419230992\_n.jpg?\_nc\_cat=101&ccb=2&\_nc\_sid=8bfeb9&\_nc\_ohc=6cJVGbfWdIUAX\_hCQ5a&\_nc\_ht=scontent-lhr8-2.xx&oh=3f0a58f59a5422eb0f516158a6ded0af&oe=6006A16B](https://scontent-lhr8-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/132015137_5197854363558785_8017106124419230992_n.jpg?_nc_cat=101&ccb=2&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=6cJVGbfWdIUAX_hCQ5a&_nc_ht=scontent-lhr8-2.xx&oh=3f0a58f59a5422eb0f516158a6ded0af&oe=6006A16B)

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**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\
**Post date:** [December 25, 2020, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jupiter-as-a-star/928441/42 "2020-12-25T02:16:21Z")

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> [@Darren\_Garrison](#):
>
> There was an article in an issue of _Analog_ in the early 1990s titled “Stellating Jupiter” about the physics behind this. Googling for that phrase returns exactly one hit, and it isn’t relevant. That’s impressive.

Dude…it’s “Analog”. Not “Digital”. What did you expect? 😉

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**Author:** ![cannon\_gray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cannon_gray/32/6030_2.png) [@cannon\_gray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cannon_gray)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2021, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jupiter-as-a-star/928441/43 "2021-01-12T07:53:53Z")

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That is not possible for Jupiter to be a star: if a thermonuclear reaction really began on Jupiter, it would simply explode. This planet can become a luminary only if, with the same radius, its mass becomes 47 times larger than the current one.

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