"Homeless" planet spotted in deep space
Posted: Thu, Nov 15, 2012, 7:52 AM ET (1252 GMT)
Astronomers announced Wednesday the discovery of a "homeless" planet 100 light-years away not orbiting any star. Astronomers detected the object, designated CFBDSIR2149, using the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, with followup observations made by ESO's Very Large Telescope. The object four to seven times as massive as Jupiter and is part of a group of young stars called the AB Doradus Moving Group, but is not orbiting any of those stars. The world is thought to be either a planet that was ejected from one of the stars during the process of forming a solar system, or a body that formed independently of any stars. Astronomers believe such free-floating planets may be as common as normal stars.
Astronomers announced Wednesday the discovery of a "homeless" planet 100 light-years away not orbiting any star. Astronomers detected the object, designated CFBDSIR2149, using the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, with followup observations made by ESO's Very Large Telescope. The object four to seven times as massive as Jupiter and is part of a group of young stars called the AB Doradus Moving Group, but is not orbiting any of those stars. The world is thought to be either a planet that was ejected from one of the stars during the process of forming a solar system, or a body that formed independently of any stars. Astronomers believe such free-floating planets may be as common as normal stars.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
Vast signs contract with SpaceX for ISS private astronaut missions
Posted: Sat, Dec 21 11:59 AM ET (1659 GMT) Avio signs ESA contracts for Vega upgrades and Earth science satellite launch
Posted: Sat, Dec 21 11:57 AM ET (1657 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Monday, December 23
Isro to launch 24 experiments to space with PSLV Spadex mission
India Today — 7:16 am ET (1216 GMT) Experimental payloads developed by Karnataka-based academia and start-ups to be launched in ISRO upcoming mission
The Hindu — 7:15 am ET (1215 GMT) ISRO to conduct experiments on growing plants in space
The Tribune (India) — 7:15 am ET (1215 GMT) Isro PSLV-C60 Spadex mission: When will it launch and how to watch it
India Today — 7:13 am ET (1213 GMT) NASA probe to fly closer to the Sun than ever before
Axios — 7:12 am ET (1212 GMT) |
