Small exoplanet found around nearby star
Posted: Wed, Apr 22, 2009, 8:55 AM ET (1255 GMT)
Astronomers announced Tuesday the discovery of the smallest extrasolar planet yet found, a world less than twice the mass of the Earth just 21 light-years away. The planet, Gliese 581 e, if the fourth planet found around the star Gliese 581, an M-class star 21 light-years away. The planet was found by European astronomers using the radial velocity technique by a European team using an advanced spectrograph at the European Southern Observatory's 3.6-meter telescope in Chile. The planet closely orbits the star, with a period of only 3.15 days, and astronomers said the world is likely a rocky body. They added that another planet in the same system, Gliese 581 d, a world seven times as massive as the Earth in a 67-day orbit, likely was an icy body that migrated in from the other regions of the star system and may now have deep oceans of water.
Astronomers announced Tuesday the discovery of the smallest extrasolar planet yet found, a world less than twice the mass of the Earth just 21 light-years away. The planet, Gliese 581 e, if the fourth planet found around the star Gliese 581, an M-class star 21 light-years away. The planet was found by European astronomers using the radial velocity technique by a European team using an advanced spectrograph at the European Southern Observatory's 3.6-meter telescope in Chile. The planet closely orbits the star, with a period of only 3.15 days, and astronomers said the world is likely a rocky body. They added that another planet in the same system, Gliese 581 d, a world seven times as massive as the Earth in a 67-day orbit, likely was an icy body that migrated in from the other regions of the star system and may now have deep oceans of water.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
US and UK militaries conduct coordinated satellite maneuvers
Posted: Sun, Sep 21 8:30 AM ET (1230 GMT) Blue Origin retires a New Shepard capsule after payload flight
Posted: Sun, Sep 21 8:25 AM ET (1225 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Tuesday, October 14
US Congress committee investigating Musk-owned Starlink over Myanmar scam centres
AFP — 7:50 am ET (1150 GMT) Morgan Stanley calls Rocket Lab a SpaceX alternative as it lifts price target
Investing.com — 7:48 am ET (1148 GMT) SpaceX’s Starship rocket lifts off in latest test flight as Musk eyes Mars
France 24 — 7:46 am ET (1146 GMT) SpaceX Replicates Starship Launch Success as US Races to Moon
Bloomberg News — 7:46 am ET (1146 GMT) SpaceX successfully tests 11th Starship flight in Texas
UPI — 7:46 am ET (1146 GMT) |
