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Planet formation

Planetary Migration

Planets do not necessarily stay where they form: gravitational interaction with the gas disk, or later with other bodies, can move them inward or outward over time. Migration is the standard explanation for hot Jupiters — giant planets on scorching close-in orbits where they could not have formed — and shapes the architecture of whole systems.

Highlights

  • Planets drift through the disk — how hot Jupiters get close in

Across exoplanet science

Knowledge connections

Sources

The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.

  • NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration

    Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.

    Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.