Talk:Gliese 436 b

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[edit] Transits!

The planet (436b) transits! This, in my opinion, is much more noteworthy than the 'habitable' 581c-- first time we directly know the size (in addition to the mass) of a Neptune-like planet outside our own solar system. The planet 436b deserves its own page, which I would set up myself if I wasn't so busy. Unexpect 07:26, 16 May 2007 (UTC)

Note that with the direct radius measurement allowed by the transit observations, the planet was determined to be an ice giant much like Neptune, rather than a rocky body as is speculated in the article. This is just one reason why the fact that this planet transits is so important Unexpect 07:34, 16 May 2007 (UTC)

[edit] "Hot Ice"

I think I must not be understanding something correctly here or the article is wrong. The article says "Its main constituent is likely to be hot "ice" in various exotic high-pressure forms, which remains solid because of the planet's gravity despite the high temperatures." This doesn't make sense. We all learn in beginning physics that as the pressure goes up ice will not form until the pressure is lower. Unless somehow the planet has less pressure even though the gravity is higher (something other than the water there keeping it suspended or something) then there can be no such thing as "hot ice." Could someone explain this? Should I change the article? Ergzay (talk) 04:21, 5 December 2007 (UTC)