Astronomers find Jupiter- and Saturn-like exoplanets around distant star
Posted: Fri, Feb 15, 2008, 7:28 AM ET (1228 GMT)
A collaboration of professional and amateur astronomers has discovered two exoplanets, smaller versions of Jupiter and Saturn, orbiting a distant star. Astronomers used a technique called microlensing, where the gravity of an intervening object acts as a magnifying lens, briefly brightening a more distant object. The two planets were detected as "blips" during a microlensing event when their star, 5,000 light-years from Earth, passed in front of a more distant star. The two planets are about 80 percent the size of Jupiter and Saturn, and astronomers said the overall solar system is a smaller analog of our own solar system.
A collaboration of professional and amateur astronomers has discovered two exoplanets, smaller versions of Jupiter and Saturn, orbiting a distant star. Astronomers used a technique called microlensing, where the gravity of an intervening object acts as a magnifying lens, briefly brightening a more distant object. The two planets were detected as "blips" during a microlensing event when their star, 5,000 light-years from Earth, passed in front of a more distant star. The two planets are about 80 percent the size of Jupiter and Saturn, and astronomers said the overall solar system is a smaller analog of our own solar system.
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Wednesday, October 14
CSG Sets Sights on Space With Around $434 Million Stake in Canada’s MDA Space
Wall Street Journal — 6:30 am ET (1030 GMT) Czech defence company CSG buys 9.5% stake in MDA Space
Canadian Press — 6:29 am ET (1029 GMT) Europe’s CSG Becomes Largest Shareholder of MDA Space
ViaSatellite — 6:29 am ET (1029 GMT) Czech CSG Acquires 9.5% Stake In Canadarm Developer MDA
Aviation Week — 6:29 am ET (1029 GMT) Student-built SCAMPI experiment launches to the International Space Station
ESA — 6:28 am ET (1028 GMT) |
