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by borborygmy
Tue Apr 05, 2016 12:06 pm
Forum: The Bridge: Discuss an Astronomy Picture of the Day
Topic: APOD: Cancri 55 e: Climate Patterns on a... (2016 Apr 05)
Replies: 33
Views: 5804

Re: APOD: Cancri 55 e: Climate Patterns on a... (2016 Apr 05)

The planet orbits its 40 light-year distant Sun-like star well inside the orbit of Mercury, so close that it is tidally locked, meaning that it always keeps the same face toward the object it orbits -- like our Moon does as it orbits the Earth. Does tidally locked mean the bigger body holds the sma...