Characteristics of Giant Planet Systems

• Some systems are well behaved and form systems `like' our own.
  

• However, some systems with `blow up'.
  • Spreads out the system.
    • Semi-major axes as large as ~450AU.
  • Usually leads to a system with 2 planets.
  • Planets hit the Sun!

• The number of planets range from 1 to 7 .

• The masses of largest planet ranges from 20 to 1200 (Jupiter is 320).
• There are systems more compact than ours.

• And less.

• There are stable systems where the orbits of the planets change significantly.

Since the gas giant planets form first, the structure of the outer planetary system helps determine the structure of the terrestrial planets.

• For example: the very compact system.