A Resonant Dance of the Seven TRAPPIST-1 Planets

The animation shows a simulation of the planets of TRAPPIST-1 orbiting for 90 Earth-days. After 15 Earth-days, the animation focuses only on the outer three planets: TRAPPIST-1f, TRAPPIST-1g, TRAPPIST-1h. The motion freezes each time two adjacent planets pass each other; an arrow appears pointing to the location of the third planet.

This complex but predictable pattern, called an orbital resonance, occurs when planets exert a regular, periodic gravitational tug on each other as they orbit their star. The three-body resonance of the outer three planets causes the planets to repeat the same relative positions, and expecting such a resonance was used to predict the orbital period of TRAPPIST-1h.

Credit: Daniel Fabrycky/University of Chicago

[DanielFoland]

When I graduated high school the idea of exoplanets was something like dark matter is today. Now, not only have we proven exoplanets, y'all make awesome simulations like this. Planetary resonances are awesome, period.

[diegocastillo]

I have not seen the most beautiful dance

[yeshazion]

THIS COULD BE THE INFAMOUS ....NIBIRU. Why did they Name it...Trappest. odd Name, isn't it? And of course they are NOT going to reveal it as" nibiru", If they reveal a " nibiru" type planet found, I assume it'd be under another Name of their choosing. Like, TRAPPEST- 1 ...look at it! Sounds and looks kinda familiar, doesn't it.?

[ilikemyhouse]

Hey nasa can you record the sound of trappist 1's planets?

[YYHoe]

Something tells me that this system will be easy to turn into an orrery!

[tanvirahasan]

i blv dark matter and dark energy is the effect of parralel universe .. which is devided by timewall..timeborder...