Q: How much more massive would Jupiter have to be to become a star fusing hydrogen to helium?
Bill Dellinges
Apache Junction, Arizona
A: Jupiter is the most massive planet in our solar system, weighing more than twice as much as all the other planets combined. But it still falls far short of the heft needed to ignite nuclear fusion and become a star.
Jupiter’s mass is about 4.17 x 1027 pounds (1.89 x 1027 kilograms); the Sun’s mass is about 4.27 x 1030 pounds (1.98 x 1030 kg),