| Author |
Message |
|
|
Post subject: Team finds largest exoplanet yet
 Posted: Aug 07, 2007 - 12:34 PM
|
|
Member
Joined: Mar 25, 2003
Posts: 7573
Location: 221B Baker Street London
|
|
An international team of astronomers has discovered the largest known planet orbiting another star. The "transiting" planet - meaning one that passes in front of its parent star as seen from Earth - is about 70% larger than Jupiter.
But the new body has a much lower mass than Jupiter - the biggest planet in our Solar System - making it of extremely low density. Details of the work are to appear in the Astrophysical Journal.
The new exoplanet, called TrES-4, is located in the constellation of Hercules and was discovered by a team working on the Transatlantic Exoplanet Survey (TrES). We continue to be surprised by how relatively large these giant planets can be,Francis O'Donovan, Caltech .
TrES-4 circles the star GSC02620-00648, which lies about 1,435 light-years away from Earth. Being only about seven million km (4.5 million miles) from its parent star, the planet is also very hot, about 1,327C (1,600 K; 2,300F).
Because of the relatively weak pull exerted by TrES-4 on its upper atmosphere, some of the atmosphere probably escapes in a curved comet-like tail.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6934603.stm
 |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
| |
FAQ
Search
Register
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
