The ‘Youngest’ Distant Planet Found To Date
October 24th 2011 02:27
Category: extrasolar planets
Image of LkCa15 lower right between the two white markers
Image of LkCa15 in relation to the constellation of Taurus
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It is an exciting time when astronomers find a new planet beyond our Solar System or galaxy.An Australian astronomer has imaged the youngest planet discovered so far.
For the first time we are seeing the birth of a planet forming from a giant disk of dust gas and other debris as it orbits its parent star. The “infant” planet called LkCa 15b is surprisingly close to us.
Located about 450 light years away in the constellation Taurus the Bull.
The newly formed planet LkCa 15b is believed to be a gas giant, very similar to our planet Jupiter.
Seeing this infant planet in the first instance shows us understand how planets are being formed. We know the theory but now we can actually
“see” the process.
The Star and planet are very “young” their age is estimated to be around 2.5 million years old,that is considered relatively young in ‘Star’ years.
The parent Star of planet LkCa 15b is about the same size as our Sun.
There have been several planets that are similar to Jupiter discovered over
the past few years but this is the first planet that has been detected in the process of being formed, even though we are seeing the light as it left the planet some 450 years ago.
The telescope used a series of special mirrors to correct the starlight that has been distorted by our atmosphere.
Another advanced technique was used to cancel out bright light from LkCa 15b's parent Star, which would normally obscure the planet. Without this technique we would not be able to see the dim light coming off the smaller ‘infant’ planet.
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Images courtesy of Dr Michael Ireland/ WISE-NASA
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