Dozens of new exoplanets discovered
Posted: Tue, Oct 20, 2009, 6:58 AM ET (1058 GMT)
Astronomers announced Monday the discovery of over 30 new extrasolar planets, bringing the total number of such worlds found to date to 400. The discoveries, 32 in total, were made by a state-of-the-art instrument at the European Southern Observatory in Chile, which found the exoplanets by detecting minute, periodic shifts in stellar spectral lines caused by orbiting planets. A number of the discoveries are around stars that are "metal-deficient", setting constraints on the amount of heavy elements needed for planet formation. Astronomers now estimate that at least 40 percent of solar-type stars have low-mass planets.
Astronomers announced Monday the discovery of over 30 new extrasolar planets, bringing the total number of such worlds found to date to 400. The discoveries, 32 in total, were made by a state-of-the-art instrument at the European Southern Observatory in Chile, which found the exoplanets by detecting minute, periodic shifts in stellar spectral lines caused by orbiting planets. A number of the discoveries are around stars that are "metal-deficient", setting constraints on the amount of heavy elements needed for planet formation. Astronomers now estimate that at least 40 percent of solar-type stars have low-mass planets.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Monday, April 6
Flight VV29 Launch Postponement
Avio — 5:27 am ET (0927 GMT) China starts feasibility study for space-based intelligent computing constellation
Xinhua — 5:26 am ET (0926 GMT) Avio Delays SMILE Launch After Component Production Issue Identified
European Spaceflight — 5:25 am ET (0925 GMT) Astronomers Thought the Early Universe Was Full of Hydrogen. Now They’ve Found It.
Univ. of Texas Austin — 5:25 am ET (0925 GMT) NASA's Artemis II crew readies for Monday's lunar flyby. Here's what you need to know
NPR — 5:23 am ET (0923 GMT) |
