Triple Sunset: Planet found in a star system with three stars

[Desdichado]

Yes, an appeal to extremophile lifeforms can be used with just about any type of circumstances, but who wants to roleplay the life of some bacterial extremophile?

 

[reveal]

Yes, an appeal to extremophile lifeforms can be used with just about any type of circumstances, but who wants to roleplay the life of some bacterial extremophile?

First, I learned a new word today.

Second, these aren't extremophile lifeforms. They are worms, crabs and fish. Not that it's a huge step up from bacteria.

 

[Desdichado]

First, I learned a new word today.

Second, these aren't extremophile lifeforms. They are worms, crabs and fish. Not that it's a huge step up from bacteria.

Mostly tubeworms IIRC and other creatures that feed on extremophile bacteria, but don't completely immerse themselves in the environment, but yeah--I appeal to various extremophile tendencies in setting design at times too, just because I want something cool and I don't want to be told that "nobody could live like that." "Well, why can't they adapt?" is usually my answer.

But the challenges of a hot Jupiter based lifeform are staggeringly difficult, even compared to underwater steam vents and whatnot.

EDIT: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extremophile -- just for the curious. Pretty sparse article, though. I'll see if I can find a better one.

 

[reveal]

So does anyone want to calculate what the average surface temperature would be on this bad boy?

 

[Desdichado]

Well, average probably doesn't really tell the story. As close as it is, it'll almost certainly be tidally locked, which means one side will forever face directly at the sun, and one side forever away from it. Average temp on the sunward side will probably melt most rocks completely, while average temp on the far side -- hmmm... I almost forgot about the other stars there. Those'll contribute to weird heating patterns, as well as contributing their own superflares every hundred years or so.

Yicky environment, really.

 

[reveal]

Yicky environment, really.

"So, head scientist at NASA with 3 doctorates who's been interviewed for many leading scientific publications, what do you think of this new planet with three suns?"

"Yicky environment, really."

 

[William Ronald]

"So, head scientist at NASA with 3 doctorates who's been interviewed for many leading scientific publications, what do you think of this new planet with three suns?"

"Yicky environment, really."

Considering what Joshua Dyal said about the increased solar flares in the system, "yicky environment" might be an understatement. Good points, but I imagine that this system might be interesting to look at but a hell of a place to live.

 

[Michael Morris]

Folks, hot Jupiters can have terrestial moons like Earth. Think Yavin IV or Endor.

 

[Desdichado]

Folks, hot Jupiters can have terrestial moons like Earth. Think Yavin IV or Endor.

Except that hot jupiters are usually well within the orbital distance of Mercury. Think Yavin IV, then turn up the heat several hundred degrees. Burn all the atmosphere off into space by the close range solar winds. Fry the planet 24/7 with radioactive charged particles because it's within the magnetosphere of both the sun and the hot Jupiter, so it's like a giant microwave turned on super-duper high power. And then, once every century or so when the tangled magnetic lines of the two interlocking magnetic fields get to the breaking point, snap and reform, blast a solar superflare over the surface of the terrestial moon. Then you can turn up the temperature several thousand degrees.

I suppose if all life on the planet developed in the local Underdark, you could do it, and have excursions to the mythically dangerous and unstable and incredibly hostile surface be really exotic events...

 

[Angel Tarragon]

I suppose if all life on the planet developed in the local Underdark, you could do it, and have excursions to the mythically dangerous and unstable and incredibly hostile surface be really exotic events...

Hence the need for Sandstorm in said campaign.