Exoplanet found orbiting binary star system
Posted: Fri, Sep 16, 2011, 8:08 AM ET (1208 GMT)
Astronomers announced Thursday the discovery a planet orbiting a pair of stars, the first such extrasolar planet, or exoplanet, detected to date. Astronomers found the planet, designated Kepler-16b, as it transited the binary stars in observations by NASA's Kepler spacecraft. The two stars, each smaller than the Sun, are 200 light-years awa; the Saturn-sized Kepler-16b orbits them in a 229-day orbit. The discovery drew comparisons to Tatooine, the planet from Star Wars that orbited two suns.
Astronomers announced Thursday the discovery a planet orbiting a pair of stars, the first such extrasolar planet, or exoplanet, detected to date. Astronomers found the planet, designated Kepler-16b, as it transited the binary stars in observations by NASA's Kepler spacecraft. The two stars, each smaller than the Sun, are 200 light-years awa; the Saturn-sized Kepler-16b orbits them in a 229-day orbit. The discovery drew comparisons to Tatooine, the planet from Star Wars that orbited two suns.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Wednesday, June 10
Falcon 9 launch of Starlink satellites scheduled from Vandenberg SFB on Thursday morning
KEYT-TV Santa Barbara, CA — 7:21 am ET (1121 GMT) Starlink says talks with India remain productive as it awaits final clearance
PTI — 7:19 am ET (1119 GMT) Elon Musk’s Starlink says India freeze reports are ‘misleading’, talks with govt ongoing
ThePrint (India) — 7:19 am ET (1119 GMT) U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers honored for role in creating U.S. Space Force
Yellowhammer News — 7:18 am ET (1118 GMT) Space Force Picks Intelsat, Viasat for Protected SATCOM Program
Air and Space Forces Magazine — 7:17 am ET (1117 GMT) |
