When astronomers found the first giant planets with orbits of only a few days, they did not know whether those planets were gaseous and liquid like jupiter or rocky like mercury. the observations of hd 209458 settled this question because observations of the transit of the star by this planet made it possible to determine the radius of the planet. use the data given in the text to estimate the density of this planet, and then use that information to explain why it must be a gas giant.

Simon is writing a story about an astronaut whose spacecraft has been boarded by space pirates. the astronaut has her lucky penny in her hand behind her back as the space pirates break into the control room. she has just locked the controls so that the ship is accelerating in the direction of the control room’s ceiling. simon wants the astronaut to use the penny to hit a button on the control panel to turn off the lights and escape. the button is located a short distance behind and below the astronaut’s hands. how should simon use the theory of relativity to describe what the astronaut must do in order to hit the button?