The smallest planet discovered outside our solar system has been detected
April 14th 2008 02:07
The smallest planet discovered outside our solar system has been found by Spanish astronomers.
Team leader Ignasi Ribas speaking at a news conference said "I think we are very close, just a few years away, from detecting a planet like Earth,"
The rocky planet, with a radius about 50 per cent greater than the Earth's, The planet orbits a small red dwarf star 30 light years away in the constellation of Leo.
The planet, known as GJ 436c, was found by analysing anomalies in the orbit of another, larger planet around the star GJ 436, a technique similar to that used more than 100 years ago to discover Neptune and more recently used to discover exoplanets.
The planet is similar to Neptune in appearance, it's mass is about five times greater than Earth's, it is the smallest planet yet discovered outside the solar system. New techniques are opening the way to discovering worlds ever more like our own.
"In a very short time, we are going to be able to see a planet with the same mass as the Earth, although it's going to be in an orbit much closer to its star than that of the Earth around the sun, so it won't strictly be a planet like the Earth," said Mr Ribas.
"Planets with a mass similar to Earth situated at a distance from their star which allows liquid water on the surface, in other words, a habitable planet, we're probably a bit further from (discovering those), but we surely will in a decade."
Most of the 280 planets discovered so far are gassy giants like Jupiter. Scientists are increasingly finding small rocky worlds as they realise that planetary systems are extremely common in stars around our galaxy.
GJ 436 is not much bigger than the Earth and it orbits close to its small, relatively cool star once every five Earth days.
Its rotation means 22 Earth days will pass between each time the red dwarf star rises on its horizon so its days are four times as long as its years.
Team leader Ignasi Ribas speaking at a news conference said "I think we are very close, just a few years away, from detecting a planet like Earth,"
The rocky planet, with a radius about 50 per cent greater than the Earth's, The planet orbits a small red dwarf star 30 light years away in the constellation of Leo.
The planet, known as GJ 436c, was found by analysing anomalies in the orbit of another, larger planet around the star GJ 436, a technique similar to that used more than 100 years ago to discover Neptune and more recently used to discover exoplanets.
The planet is similar to Neptune in appearance, it's mass is about five times greater than Earth's, it is the smallest planet yet discovered outside the solar system. New techniques are opening the way to discovering worlds ever more like our own.
"In a very short time, we are going to be able to see a planet with the same mass as the Earth, although it's going to be in an orbit much closer to its star than that of the Earth around the sun, so it won't strictly be a planet like the Earth," said Mr Ribas.
"Planets with a mass similar to Earth situated at a distance from their star which allows liquid water on the surface, in other words, a habitable planet, we're probably a bit further from (discovering those), but we surely will in a decade."
Most of the 280 planets discovered so far are gassy giants like Jupiter. Scientists are increasingly finding small rocky worlds as they realise that planetary systems are extremely common in stars around our galaxy.
GJ 436 is not much bigger than the Earth and it orbits close to its small, relatively cool star once every five Earth days.
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Comment by Cibbuano
20/20 Filmsight
Science News
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
Comment by CarlCan
Astro Earth
We may not be able to get there as yet, but we can take comfort perhaps in that we may not be alone in the universe
CC.
Comment by Lilla
Enviro Warrior
An Extra Ordinary Life
Dream Herald
Interesting discovery CarlCan, as always... a wait to see where it leads us ...
Lilla ...
Comment by CarlCan
Astro Earth
Saving us from ourselves? I think we are too late for that :0)
New planets are continually being discovered, at some point in time we may find a world similar to ours perhaps in a better state.
Carl