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, April 10
Amazon Leo to Launch 'Mid-2026,' CEO Hints at Lower Price Than Starlink
PC Magazine — 6:24 am ET (1024 GMT) Amazon’s Starlink competitor Leo gets a new date
The Verge — 6:23 am ET (1023 GMT) Space Force Picks 14 Firms to Compete to Build Reconnaissance Satellites
Air and Space Forces Magazine — 6:22 am ET (1022 GMT) Oxygen made from Moon dust for first time
The Daily Telegraph — 6:19 am ET (1019 GMT) This founder helped build SpaceX’s most powerful rocket engine. Now he’s building a ‘fighter jet for orbit.’
TechCrunch — 6:19 am ET (1019 GMT) |
