Small exoplanet discovered
Posted: Wed, Jun 4, 2008, 7:34 AM ET (1134 GMT)
Astronomers announced this week that they have discovered the smallest extrasolar planet to date, a world only three times the mass of the Earth. Astronomers used a technical called gravitational microlensing, where the gravity of a passing star, and any orbiting planets, bends light from a background star and causes it to briefly brighten. The planet orbits the star MOA-2007-BLG-192L, a small star that may actually be a brown dwarf about 3,000 light-years from the Earth, and has an estimated mass of three times that of the Earth. Besides proving that nearly Earth-sized planets can be detected, the discovery also demonstrates that planets can form around low-mass stars or brown dwarfs.
Astronomers announced this week that they have discovered the smallest extrasolar planet to date, a world only three times the mass of the Earth. Astronomers used a technical called gravitational microlensing, where the gravity of a passing star, and any orbiting planets, bends light from a background star and causes it to briefly brighten. The planet orbits the star MOA-2007-BLG-192L, a small star that may actually be a brown dwarf about 3,000 light-years from the Earth, and has an estimated mass of three times that of the Earth. Besides proving that nearly Earth-sized planets can be detected, the discovery also demonstrates that planets can form around low-mass stars or brown dwarfs.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Monday, January 26
Rheinmetall and OHB in talks over Starlink-style service for German army
Financial Times — 5:19 am ET (1019 GMT) Colorado Springs must reject political games over Space Command
Colorado Springs Gazette — 5:19 am ET (1019 GMT) Blue Origin wastewater permit public meeting coming up Friday at UF/IFAS building
Florida Today — 5:16 am ET (1016 GMT) Central Coast Residents Greeted with Aggressive Boom from SpaceX Launch Sunday Morning
Santa Barbara (CA) Edhat — 5:12 am ET (1012 GMT) SpaceX Rocket Carries Starlink Satellites Into Orbit from Vandenberg
Noozhawk — 5:11 am ET (1011 GMT) |
