Astronomers discover Earth-sized, rocky, but hot exoplanet
Posted: Thu, Oct 31, 2013, 2:06 PM ET (1806 GMT)
Astronomers announced Wednesday this discovery of an extrasolar planet similar in size and density to the Earth, but closely orbiting its star. Kepler-78b, detected in data from NASA's Kepler spacecraft and later studied by two teams of astronomers, has a diameter about 1.2 times that of the Earth and has a mass twice that of the Earth. That means the planet has a density similar to the Earth, and thus is likely a combination of rock and iron. However, Kepler-78b orbits very close to its star, completing an orbit in just eight and a half hours. Astronomers said they couldn't explain how the planet formed or how it got to its current orbit, but estimated that the star's gravity would break it up in about three billion years.
Astronomers announced Wednesday this discovery of an extrasolar planet similar in size and density to the Earth, but closely orbiting its star. Kepler-78b, detected in data from NASA's Kepler spacecraft and later studied by two teams of astronomers, has a diameter about 1.2 times that of the Earth and has a mass twice that of the Earth. That means the planet has a density similar to the Earth, and thus is likely a combination of rock and iron. However, Kepler-78b orbits very close to its star, completing an orbit in just eight and a half hours. Astronomers said they couldn't explain how the planet formed or how it got to its current orbit, but estimated that the star's gravity would break it up in about three billion years.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Friday, March 27
A leap forward for Lumio: Phase C officially launched
ESA — 6:09 am ET (1009 GMT) Cantor Fitzgerald cuts Firefly Aerospace stock price target on estimates
Investing.com — 6:08 am ET (1008 GMT) SpaceX President: Starlink Could Plateau at 15,000 or 20,000 Satellites
PC Magazine — 6:07 am ET (1007 GMT) Data Centers on Orbit Could Boost Space Operations, Experts Say
National Defense Magazine — 6:06 am ET (1006 GMT) National Defense Strategy ‘falls short’ on nuclear, space threat: SASC chair
Defense One — 6:05 am ET (1005 GMT) |
