Have you ever heard of a planet just floating through space all on its own really? Yeah, like no star no Sun
Yeah, just cruising through the galaxy. Yeah, those are rogue planets. Yeah, and there could be billions of them
Yeah, maybe even trillions trillions in our galaxy alone. It's incredible. Isn't it more rogue planets than stars?
Potentially. Yeah, it's wild. So what do we actually know about these mysterious worlds? Yeah, how did they end up all alone out there?
Mm-hmm, and could they even have life right? Welcome to cosmos in a pod space and astronomy series
Okay, so first things first. Yeah, what is a rogue planet? Well, I mean, it's basically a planet
That's not bound to any star. Okay, you know, it's on its own solo journey through the galaxy
Okay, they're also sometimes called a free floating planets or nomad planets
Which kind of I love you know, yeah, that's a very evocative. It really does paint a picture. Yeah
Yeah, so if they don't hang around a star, how do we even find them? It seems impossible. Well, it's tricky
Yeah, one of the main ways we find them is through something called gravitational microlensing
Okay, and that's kind of like, you know picture a rogue planet passing in front of a distant star
Okay from our viewpoint, right? Okay, and the rogue planet's gravity bends the starlight as it passes in front
Yeah, and so it makes the star temporarily brighter
Okay, so it's almost like the rogue planet is acting like a magnifying glass in a way. So we're not actually seeing the planet
We're just seeing how it messes with the light. That's right behind it. It's kind of like a detective
You know, we're looking for these little clues. Yeah and distortions. Yeah, we also use a
Infrared observations try and pick up their faint heat signatures. Okay, and in very rare cases
We can actually get direct images. Yeah, but only if the rogue planet is, you know
Pretty close and bright. That's so cool. Yeah, so we've figured out how to find them
But how do they even form in the first place? Like were they always loners?
Well, you know, there's a couple of different theories. Yeah
One idea is that they you know actually started in a normal solar system
Okay, but they got kicked out because of the gravitational pull of other planets or even passing stars
Yeah, you know imagine like a young solar system. It's chaotic. Yeah planets are jostling for position
Totally and so it's kind of you know a recipe for cosmic eviction as you might say sounds like it
Another theory is that some rogue planets actually might have formed directly from collapsing gas clouds
Oh, yeah similar to how stars do yeah, but in these cases there just wasn't enough mass to ignite
Okay, and become a star so they kind of almost formed like a star that just didn't quite make it. Yeah
And then finally there's this really uh, you know, dramatic scenario, which is the collision scenario
Where you have two planets in a solar system? Okay, and they just smash into each other and one or both of them get sent
Careening off into space. Yeah, talk about a bad breakup. That's intense. So yeah, I'm picturing these just like epic
Cosmic billiards games that are just sending planets into their own. Yeah, it's pretty crazy to see
Yeah, it's pretty crazy to think about. Yeah for sure
But what's it actually like on a rogue planet? Right like if it's not orbiting a star
Is it just a frozen wasteland? Well, you know, it's interesting because rogue planets are incredibly diverse
Okay, you could have small rocky planets like earth. Okay, you could have gas giants
Uh like jupiter. Gotcha. Um, some may have atmospheres others could be barren and icy
Wow, so there's like a whole spectrum of what these planets could look like. Yeah, exactly. That's really interesting
So it's you know, it makes it hard to study them because they're all so different. Yeah for sure
Um, but you know when it comes to temperature, yeah, you're right to think it'd be pretty freezing
Yeah, no sun means surface temperatures could vomit
You know close to absolute zero but but here's the thing. Yeah, there might be other ways for them to stay warm
Okay. Now you've got my attention. Yeah, so tell me more
So tell me more think about internal heat right? Okay, some rogue planets could still have like warmth left over from their formation
Okay, or they might generate heat. Yeah through radioactive decay in their cores
Yeah, and then there's also things like tidal forces, right the same forces that cause, you know tides on earth
Yeah, these could actually create friction and heat inside a rogue planet. Okay, especially if it has any moons
Oh, wow. So there's there's other ways for them to kind of stay warm even without a sun
So they might not be completely frozen not necessarily. Okay, so that opens up some possibilities
Yeah, now this leads us to the big question the big question. Yeah, could these rogue planets?
support
life
I mean life on a planet without a sun, right? Is that even possible?
Well, you know life as we know it would probably have a tough time on the surface
It'd be incredibly cold and dark. Yeah, but what about beneath the surface?
You know, maybe okay, you're talking about those internal heat sources. We just talked about exactly
Okay, could there be liquid water down there?
Potentially even if the surface is frozen. Well, that's the idea right?
If a rogue planet has enough of that internal heat, yeah, it could have these subsurface oceans
Basically, okay trapped under layers of ice. So like hidden pockets of water
Yeah, like whole oceans even potentially it's kind of like what we think might be happening on some of the moons in our own
Solar system, okay, like Europa or Enceladus right these icy moons that we think have these oceans underneath
Wow, so so it's possible and and then you also mentioned earlier
Yeah, that some rogue planets might also have geothermal activity right like volcanoes hydrothermal vents
Yeah, yeah, those could provide energy for life even without sunlight
Oh, wow. So so even without the sun life could find a way to thrive around those vents
Yeah, like those extremophile organisms we have here. That's the idea like the things that live in these really extreme environments. Yeah
Um, you know, it's it's possible life on a rogue planet if it exists
It would probably be you know microbial and adapted to those really extreme conditions
Wow, but it's a pretty mind-blowing concept. That is a mind-blowing concept to think about. Yeah. Yeah, okay
Welcome back to cosmos in a pod. We're back. Okay, so my mind is officially blown
Like subsurface oceans and life around geothermal vents on a planet without a sun. It's pretty amazing stuff
I know I never would have imagined. Yeah, um, but finding and studying these rogue planets up close, right?
It's got to be tough, right? Yeah, it's definitely uh, one of the biggest challenges in astronomy. I would say yeah, it's like um
Trying to find you know, a tiny little ember. Okay in a vast dark forest
Yeah, I can see that we talked about some of the methods. Yeah, like gravitational microlensing right and infrared
Yeah, but those seem pretty limited if these planets are so hard to spot. Well, they are limited
Yeah, um, and it really comes down to a few things. I mean
Remember these planets don't emit much light right on their own. So they're incredibly faint. Yeah
Um, and even with techniques like gravitational microlensing, you know
We're really relying on this kind of chance alignment between the rogue planet a distant star
And our telescopes here on earth. It's like waiting for three cosmic marbles to line up perfectly
You know across
Across billions of miles with a lot of waiting and hoping for the right alignment a lot of patience involved
And even then a lot of times all we get is this really
Fleeting glimpse. Okay, you know a single data point so like a blip of data basically
Yeah, and it makes it really hard to study these planets in detail
You know, we're trying to piece together a puzzle with only a few pieces so to speak. I got it
Um, it's like reading a sentence out of a book right and trying to understand the whole story, right?
Exactly, and then you also mentioned that rogue planets are super diverse. Yes, so that must make things even harder
Yeah, that's another big challenge. Yeah
That diversity is both fascinating and challenging right right each rogue planet could be totally unique
Yeah with its own size composition temperature
Yeah, maybe even an atmosphere. Okay
It's kind of like, you know
Trying to study all the different types of animals on earth, right based on just a handful of really blurry photos
I see what you mean. Yeah, so it's tricky. So how do we move forward?
How do we get a clearer picture of these rogue planets?
Well, uh, I think the good news is that we're really entering this new golden age of space telescopes
Yeah, i've heard a lot of buzz about that. Yeah, what makes them so special for studying rogue planets? Well, um, you know the
James webb space telescope is already up there and sending back some incredible data. Yeah
Um, and the nancy grace roman space telescope is set to launch soon
Wow, so these are you know going to be game changers I think for
Our understanding of rogue planets. Yeah with james webb, you know
It's equipped with these incredibly sensitive instruments that can you know
See through dust clouds and spot these rogue planets. Wow that were invisible to older telescopes
Okay, so we're really getting you know, a new view of the universe with james webb
So piercing the cosmic veil finding these hidden worlds exactly and then what about the other telescope?
Oh the roman telescope. Yeah, uh, that one is going to be amazing for surveying large areas of the sky very quickly
So it's like a wide angle lens, right?
Um, and that means that we'll be able to find many more rogue planets
Okay, you know, it's not just about finding one or two right? It's about getting this bigger sample size
I get it so we can study them. Yeah, so it's about understanding the rogue planets as a whole
Yeah as a population. Yeah, um and really get a better sense of how common are they right? What are their typical characteristics?
And how do they fit into the big picture?
Of you know the galaxy so moving from spotting individual planets to studying them as a group
Yeah, exactly. It's a big step. Yeah, it's kind of a paradigm shift. I would say wow
Um, and of course, there's still
So many questions. Yeah, I bet we need to answer like what well
I mean one of the most basic questions is just you know, how common are these rogue planets?
I mean are they more numerous than planets orbiting stars, right? Or are they just this kind of cosmic anomaly, you know?
Wow, I had no idea. We didn't even know the answer to that. Yeah, we're still figuring that out
Wow, and that number, you know has big implications because if they're really common, right?
It means that our understanding of planet formation might need some tweaking
Okay, it might mean that planets getting kicked out of their solar systems is actually a pretty frequent occurrence
So our nice and orderly solar system is the weird one
It's possible. Wow, that's a wild thought. Yeah, it kind of turns things on their head totally
Um, and then of course, there's this whole question of life, right?
You know, we talked about the possibility of subsurface oceans geothermal energy. Yeah
Um, but finding proof that's a whole other story. Yeah, I imagine that's incredibly difficult
Yeah, it would be like, um finding a needle in a haystack
But the haystack is a rogue planet, right? And the needle is a tiny little microbe
Yeah, and we can't even see the haystack half the time. Yeah, it's a huge challenge
So what happens to rogue planets over time? Right, do they just wander forever? Well, that's another mystery. We're trying to unravel
Okay, um, you know some scientists believe that they might actually get captured
Okay by the gravity of a passing star. Okay and become part of a new solar system
Oh, so they could find a new home. They could yeah after billions of years on their own
That's kind of nice. Yeah a little heartwarming
Yeah, but others might just keep drifting alone forever
No, you know traveling through the vastness of interstellar space that's kind of sad and you know over time
They'll cool down. They'll lose their internal heat and become these frozen silent
worlds
That's both amazing
And a little bit melancholy. Yeah, it's kind of a bittersweet thought
It does make you appreciate our own planet a little bit more for sure, you know, yeah earth is a pretty special place
Yeah, when you think about it. So you mentioned earlier that rogue planets
Could be stepping stones right for space travel. Yeah, but their lack of gravity resources
That seems like a pretty big problem. Yeah, it's definitely something scientists are thinking about. Okay, um
You know while they might not be ideal for like long-term settlements or anything, right?
They could still offer some unique resources or advantages that we haven't even considered yet
Like what? Well, for example, you know, their predictable paths through the galaxy
Could make them really useful for you know charting interstellar roots
Oh, or they might contain certain rare elements or minerals
Okay, that are scarce in, you know, traditional solar systems. So instead of pit stops, they're like points of interest
Yeah, I think that's a good way to think about it with their own unique value. Yeah, each one would be its own little
You know
Mystery to explore and we're still in the early stages of understanding these objects
So it's important to keep an open mind about their potential role in future space exploration
This is also fascinating. Yeah, it feels like we've just scratched the surface of what there is to learn
Oh for sure. I mean, there's so much more out there we need to discover
About rogue planets. Yeah, it's amazing how these seemingly insignificant planets
Right. These wanderers in the darkness can hold so many clues to the mysteries of the universe
They really do challenge our assumptions and they kind of push the boundaries of what we thought we knew about planets in the universe
It's both humbling and exhilarating. It is. Isn't it? Yeah. To know that there
There are entire worlds out there. Right. Just waiting to be discovered. Waiting to be explored. Worlds that really challenge
Our understanding of planets and just the nature of reality
Yeah, and I think that's one of the most exciting things about astronomy. Totally. Is that you know, there's always something new to discover. Always. Always. Welcome back to Cosmos in a pod.
We're back for the final stretch of our deep dive into rogue planets. It has been incredible. Yeah. So we've gotten from not even knowing what a rogue planet is. Yeah. To like imagining hidden oceans and potential life on these planets. Right.
It's really amazing to think about. It's totally changed my perspective on what's out there in the universe. Yeah. And as we kind of wrap up this deep dive, you know, I think it's worth reflecting on the bigger picture a little bit. Okay. You know, what do rogue planets tell us about the universe as a whole?
That's a great question. Yeah. I mean, it seems like they challenge our assumptions about how planets form and where they exist. Right. Like we thought planets had to orbit the sun.
Like we thought planets had to orbit stars. Yeah, that was kind of the textbook definition, right? Yeah. For a long time. Yeah. Rogue planets just like totally flipped that on its head. Yeah, they really throw a wrench in the works. And I think they show us that planetary systems are much more chaotic and unpredictable than we once believed. Totally. You know, for all we know, planets getting booted out of their solar systems could be a pretty common occurrence. So our solar system is the weird one. It's possible. Wow. And what about the
idea of these planets carrying life? Right. I mean, we talked about the possibility of subsurface oceans and geothermal energy. Yeah. But if those are more common than we think, could life actually be more prevalent on rogue planets? That's a really interesting question. Then on planets orbiting stars. And it's one that, you know, scientists are actively thinking about. Yeah. Because, you know, if rogue planets are as numerous as some believe. Right. And if, you know, even a fraction
of them harbor life. Yeah. It would mean that life is much more widespread than we ever imagined. And it would completely change how we look for extraterrestrial life. It's like we've been looking in the wrong place. It's possible. Yeah. We've been so focused on these star systems. Right. But maybe we need to start thinking about these rogue planets as well. The cosmic nomads. Yeah. These interstellar travelers. Yeah. That's a really cool thought. But even if we don't find life on rogue planets, you know, they still offer
us this unique window into the universe. How so? Well, because they don't have that blinding light from a star. Yeah. We can actually study their atmospheres and compositions. Okay. In much greater detail. So they're kind of like pristine laboratories. Yeah. I like that analogy. Letting us analyze the raw materials of planets. Exactly. That's amazing. Without any interference from a nearby star. So rogue planets can actually help us understand how our own solar system formed.
Yeah. Because they give us this glimpse into the early building blocks of planets. Okay. So by studying these rogue planets, we might learn something about how our own solar system came to be. So they really force us to reevaluate our assumptions and push the boundaries of what we thought we knew. It's a constant process in science, right? We're always learning new things and having to kind of adjust our understanding. This whole deep dive has been a truly mind expanding experience. I'm glad you mentioned that.
I'm glad to hear that. You know, we learned so much about the formation characteristics, the possibility of life, the challenges and opportunities that they present to scientists. Yeah. It's a really fascinating field. Totally. And one that I think is only going to get more exciting in the years to come. Absolutely. A huge thank you to all of our listeners. Yes. Thank you for joining us. For joining us on this cosmic adventure. We hope you enjoyed learning about rogue planets. Yeah. Be sure to follow and subscribe to Cosmos in a Pod.
For more deep dives into space and astronomy. You can also check out our YouTube channel for even more captivating content. Yeah. We've got lots of great stuff over there. Until next time. Keep looking up and keep exploring.