Solar cycles do not align with Jupiter’s rotation, according to researchers cited by TASS and SAI MSU astronomers.
The finding emerged from examining how the spin of exoplanets might influence their host stars. The Sun’s activity is known to wax and wane over an 11-year cycle, yet some scientists question whether this pattern has held steady across recent and earlier cycles. In observations, sunspots and flares have appeared less frequently, prompting speculation about gravitational effects from giant planets as a potential driver.
To evaluate this idea, researchers tracked fluctuations in the activity of numerous stars that recently revealed orbiting worlds. They analyzed planetary orbits and calculated the gravitational forces exerted on the parent stars.
Across two dozen comparable star systems, including Tau Ceti, Epsilon Eridani, and 51 Pegasi, studies showed that some nearby exoplanets could exert forces several times stronger than Jupiter, while others had a minimal impact on their stars.
Despite the varied strength of these gravitational interactions, no single case was observed where the presence of a large, close-in exoplanet clearly triggered heightened stellar activity. In most instances, the rotation cycles of giant planets did not synchronize with the timing of stellar activity fluctuations.
One striking detail noted in the data is the absence of a direct, universal link between planetary gravity and activity bursts in the stars studied. The pattern remains elusive, leading researchers to consider additional factors that might influence stellar cycles, such as magnetic field dynamics, internal stellar processes, and multi-planet resonances.
Videos and imagery near the solar north pole later provided new perspectives on the overall structure of stellar surfaces and activity regions, reinforcing the complexity of these interactions.