Orbiting the Wrong Way

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/04/100414-new-planets-backward-orbit/

Scientists have found about a baker's dozen of planets outside our solar system that are orbiting in the opposite direction of their star rotation. This could mean less Earth-like planets in space. The planets that are doing this are hot Jupiters. Hot Jupiters are planets with a larger mass then Jupiter, and are circulating close to their parent stars. The strange planets seem to be battling gravity with their parent stars, described in the article as a game of "tug-oh-war". More is to be found out on the subject, but it may as well be long out of our life time.


We've been talking about the circulation around the sun, so I found this appropriate. Honestly though, I found this article extremely confusing. It's seemed like the guys writing it were confused too. Like, why are these planets going backwards? Also, it a planet goes out of orbit, does that mean it will hit us? (not it our life time, probably) It's sad really, it's like being so close to the truth, but so far from the answer.