why just one sun?

[keithnellie]

Why do we have just one sun? If our sun is nothing more than a sustained short circuit why doesn't Jupiter or Saturn arc up or any of the rest of the planets for that matter. Or if they did at one time why would they stop? What conditions are needed for such a thing to happen?

[Sceptical lefty]

It is also interesting to wonder why our distant ancestors, in the absence of all visual aids, decided that Jupiter was the 'king' of the planets, as he was King of the Gods. Since we all know that our solar system is pretty much the same as it was when created 4.5 billion years ago, you would think that Venus should dominate the celestial hierarchy.

On the other hand, if our sun (and, by extension, the solar system) is externally powered, then fluctuations in its output are due to fluctuations in the current streaming along this arm of the Milky War. In the absence of any means of effectively monitoring -- let alone, predicting -- the local strength of this current, we just have to deal with whatever the Universe is pleased to serve up, when it comes.

It is conceivable that our local current 'pulses' over cycles of thousands of years. It may vary randomly, or as a result of predictable events that we presently lack the technology to observe and the wit to comprehend.

It is important to recognise that there is no good reason to assume that things have always been the way they are now. It is also important to recognise that the scientific world, like the rest of human endeavours, is dominated by fear, self-interest and mental inertia.

To directly address the substance of your post: we have one sun because it is not being subjected to electrical stresses sufficient to cause it to split. A minor increase in the galactic current could well cause our local gas planets to light up and possibly influence atmospheric electrical phenomena on Earth. Increased telluric currents may have some effect on geological activity. Considering the time periods over which these phenomena may vary, and the relatively brief period for which we have been around to experience, record and study them, it is extremely difficult to say what the future holds.

Still, the mainstream scientists have it all figured out. As Bertrand Russell observed: Man is a credulous animal, and must believe something; in the absence of good grounds for belief, he will be satisfied with bad ones.

[jacmac]

To some extent the other planets do "arc" up. But just a little. The glowing aurora on many planets is a lower density plasma GLOW similar to the higher density solar photosphere. The photosphere has been described as ARC mode and as GLOW mode at times on this forum, and I am not sure which term is correct.

I think the sun dominates the electric environment of the solar system because it is so large compared to the planets. The mass of Jupiter is about .09% that of the sun. There is below the photosphere a "solid body" made up of matter not unlike the planets. IMO

[Michael Mozina]

Why do we have just one sun? If our sun is nothing more than a sustained short circuit why doesn't Jupiter or Saturn arc up or any of the rest of the planets for that matter. Or if they did at one time why would they stop? What conditions are needed for such a thing to happen?

It should be noted that the aurora around planets demonstrates that planets are current current bodies.

[keithnellie]

I can understand lightning as a example of "arcing" but not auroras but then again I am just a curious observer not a scientist. Do auroras increase the nearby temperature?

[jacmac]

keithnellie,

I can understand lightning as a example of "arcing" but not auroras but then again I am just a curious observer not a scientist.

Electric current in plasma might be in one of three "modes", dark, glowing or arcing.
An aurora is an example of glow mode plasma.
The eu guides on the home page have a lot of good info.

[Michael Mozina]

I can understand lightning as a example of "arcing" but not auroras but then again I am just a curious observer not a scientist. Do auroras increase the nearby temperature?

Ya, ultimately we're watching charged particles slamming into atoms in the atmosphere. The inward flow of kinetic energy does indeed heat the atoms in the atmosphere. I'd imagine that the overall heating effect is relatively small compared to a large enough volume of air however.

[seasmith]

Don't aura need a significant magnetic alignment, in addition to the electric influx, in order to glow ?

[Webbman]

I imagine all planets are potential suns. Remove the sun and Jupiter would become the new sun. I have my doubts about two suns in one system. You see that a lot in movies and fabricated astronomy articles. Electrically the one with the most iron/greatest magnetic field would silence the others since they would have no access to the incoming current as they are shielded.

the sun is a local dump load for our resident electrical generator, the galaxy.