NASA reports the discovery of a star system with six "sub-Neptune"-sized planets in perfect synchrony: "The planet closest to the star makes three orbits for every two of the next planet out – called a 3/2 resonance – a pattern that is repeated among the four closest planets"; "among the outermost planets, a pattern of four orbits for every three of the next planet out (a 4/3 resonance) is repeated twice."
The Associated Press adds that "the innermost planet, meanwhile, completes six orbits in exactly the time the outermost completes one" and that "all solar systems, including our own, are thought to have started out like this one [...] but it's estimated only 1-in-100 systems have retained that synchrony [...]. Giant planets can throw things off-kilter. So can meteor bombardments, close encounters with neighboring stars and other disturbances."
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^ From "The Master Plan of Doctor Doom!" in Fantastic Four #23, February 1964. Stan Lee plot, Jack Kirby pencils, George Roussos inks, Sam Rosen letters. Original colorist unknown. Photoshop color reduction.
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