It is not enough to acquire an orbit
near a bright sun, such as that of Earth’s, or to be of similar size, or
similar range of temperatures in order to produce and then sustain life. A planet must also have, essentially, a big
brother in orbit nearby.
We have Jupiter.
Jupiter is massive--having a surface
area something over 120 times that of our own, and a gravity over twice as
strong as that which holds both leaf and stone to the surface of Earth.
The gravitational pull of Jupiter may
well be the very thing protecting us from a sudden and cataclysmic demise. Acting like a big vacuum, Jupiter sucks from surrounding
space most of the large, Earth-threatening bodies whizzing through the solar
system, saving us from fatal collisions.
-- Mitchell
Hegman
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