* Not enough mass: Stars are born when a massive cloud of gas and dust collapses under its own gravity. This collapse generates enormous heat and pressure, eventually igniting nuclear fusion in the core. Jupiter simply doesn't have enough mass for this to happen. It's about 1/1,000th the mass of our Sun, and astronomers estimate it would need to be at least 80 times more massive to become a star.

* Nuclear fusion requires a critical mass: Nuclear fusion, the process that powers stars, requires intense heat and pressure to force atoms together. A certain minimum mass is necessary to achieve these conditions.

* Jupiter is classified as a gas giant: It's primarily composed of hydrogen and helium, similar to the Sun. However, it lacks the necessary mass to undergo the same processes that make stars shine.

While Jupiter won't become a star, it is sometimes called a "failed star" because it shares some similarities with our Sun in terms of composition. However, its lack of mass prevents it from achieving the necessary conditions for nuclear fusion.