Astronomers discover bloated planet
Posted: Fri, Sep 15, 2006, 8:24 AM ET (1224 GMT)
Astronomers announced Thursday that they have found an extrasolar planet that is larger than Jupiter but only half its mass, making it the less dense planet ever found. The exoplanet, HAT-P-1, closely orbits one star of a double-star system 450 light-years from Earth, completing one orbit every 4.5 days. The planet transits across the disk of its star as sen from Earth, allowing astronomers to measure its size and mass. The planet turns out to have a diameter nearly 40% larger than Jupiter's, but only has half its mass, giving the planet a density about one-quarter than of water. Astronomers said they're not sure what caused the planet to be so large, having ruled out tidal heating caused by an eccentric orbit or a highly-inclined axis.
Astronomers announced Thursday that they have found an extrasolar planet that is larger than Jupiter but only half its mass, making it the less dense planet ever found. The exoplanet, HAT-P-1, closely orbits one star of a double-star system 450 light-years from Earth, completing one orbit every 4.5 days. The planet transits across the disk of its star as sen from Earth, allowing astronomers to measure its size and mass. The planet turns out to have a diameter nearly 40% larger than Jupiter's, but only has half its mass, giving the planet a density about one-quarter than of water. Astronomers said they're not sure what caused the planet to be so large, having ruled out tidal heating caused by an eccentric orbit or a highly-inclined axis.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
US and UK militaries conduct coordinated satellite maneuvers
Posted: Sun, Sep 21 8:30 AM ET (1230 GMT) Blue Origin retires a New Shepard capsule after payload flight
Posted: Sun, Sep 21 8:25 AM ET (1225 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Friday, October 17
Space Force Operationally Accepts SciTec's Revolutionary Missile Warning System
PR Newswire — 6:14 am ET (1014 GMT) Japan’s Interstellar Plans To Take A Slice of SpaceX’s Business
Aviation Week — 6:11 am ET (1011 GMT) Vandenberg Space Force Base to Double SpaceX Launch Operations
Santa Barbara (CA) Edhat — 6:11 am ET (1011 GMT) Don't give Russia space
Kyiv Independent — 6:09 am ET (1009 GMT) Spacewalking Cosmonauts Install High-Tech Space Station Experiment
Aviation Week — 6:09 am ET (1009 GMT) |
