Jupiter is sometimes described as a "failed star," suggesting that if it had more mass it would have developed as a star rather than as a planet and that we would live in a binary star system. Is this possible? How many times more massive would Jupiter have to be for this development to have taken place?
A) Yes. Jupiter would need only about double its present mass.
B) Yes. Jupiter would need slightly less than 100 times its present mass.
C) Yes, but Jupiter would need thousands of times its present mass.
D) No. No amount of extra mass could make a planet into a star.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Jupiter would need to be about 75-80 times more massive to initiate hydrogen fusion in its core, the process that powers stars. This threshold is based on the minimum mass required for an object to be considered a brown dwarf, which is the category Jupiter would fall into before becoming a full-fledged star.

Jupiter Is Sometimes Described as a "Failed Star," Suggesting That