First rocky planet discovered around another star
27 August 2004
by Richard
Conan-Davies
|
Astronomers from the European Southern Observatory in La Silla, Chile, have discovered what could be described as a super sized earth orbiting a star some 50 light years from earth. This new planet, called an exoplanet , was discovered almost by accident. Astronomers were using a device attached to a powerful telescope that was measuring the wobbles (almost like tides) on the surface of stars when they noticed an extra signal that recurred every 9 days. From this information the astronomers where able to estimate the size of the new planet. Being so close to the star the astronomers doubt that it is a gas planet like jupiter and so suggest it is a very large rocky type planet. |
 An artist impression comparing the size of the new planet with earth. A rocky terrestrial like planet about 14 times the the size of our earth would have a very large gravitational pull. |
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