Astronomers discover two closely orbiting exoplanets
Posted: Fri, Jun 22, 2012, 8:22 AM ET (1222 GMT)
Astronomers using data from NASA's Kepler spacecraft said Thursday they have discovered two dissimilar extrasolar planets with orbits very close to each other. The planets, designated Kepler-36b and c, orbit the same star 1,200 light-years from Earth in orbits only 1.9 million kilometers from each other. The inner planet, Kepler-36b, appears to be a "super-Earth" 4.5 times the mass and 1.5 times the radius of the Earth. The outer planer, Kepler-36c, is 3.7 times the radius and 8 times the mass of the Earth and is probably more like Neptune than the Earth. The worlds are two of 74 exoplanets confirmed by Kepler to date, with more than 2,000 candidate planets awaiting followup observations and confirmation.
Astronomers using data from NASA's Kepler spacecraft said Thursday they have discovered two dissimilar extrasolar planets with orbits very close to each other. The planets, designated Kepler-36b and c, orbit the same star 1,200 light-years from Earth in orbits only 1.9 million kilometers from each other. The inner planet, Kepler-36b, appears to be a "super-Earth" 4.5 times the mass and 1.5 times the radius of the Earth. The outer planer, Kepler-36c, is 3.7 times the radius and 8 times the mass of the Earth and is probably more like Neptune than the Earth. The worlds are two of 74 exoplanets confirmed by Kepler to date, with more than 2,000 candidate planets awaiting followup observations and confirmation.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Monday, February 24
Gilmour Space announces launch window for Australia’s first sovereign orbital rocket
Gilmour Space — 5:11 am ET (1011 GMT) Gilmour Space Sets Mid-March Launch Window
Space and Defense — 5:11 am ET (1011 GMT) Gilmour Space moves company to launch campaign mode
InnovationAus.com — 5:10 am ET (1010 GMT) Gilmour Space’s first rocket launch from Queensland is just weeks away
Startup Daily — 5:10 am ET (1010 GMT) Australia’s first sovereign orbital rocket to take flight
InDaily (Australia) — 5:10 am ET (1010 GMT) |
