Was the new planet that European astronomers found part of our solar system?
Astronomers said they have discovered the smallest planet ever detected outside our Solar System. Scientists said the so-called exoplanet is only about twice the size of Earth. They announced the discovery Tuesday at a space conference in England. The exoplanet orbits the Gliese 581 star, which is just 20.5 light years away from Earth. A light year is equal to the distance that light travels in one year. It is the fourth exoplanet detected in the system. Scientists said the newly discovered exoplanet is probably too hot for human life because it sits close to its sun-like host star. But they believe another planet in the system may be habitable. Researchers made the discovery using a 3.6-meter telescope in La Silla, Chile. Sources: http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-04-21-voa68.
The new planet that European astonomers found is not in our solar system. It is a small, rocky, earth like planet that is revolving around a star called Gliese 581e which resides in the constellation Libra and is about 20 light years from Earth. Sources: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/22/science/22planet.
Astronomers said they have discovered the smallest planet ever detected outside our Solar System. Scientists said the so-called exoplanet is only about twice the size of Earth. They announced the discovery Tuesday at a space conference in England. The exoplanet orbits the Gliese 581 star, which is just 20.5 light years away from Earth. A light year is equal to the distance that light travels in one year. It is the fourth exoplanet detected in the system. Scientists said the newly discovered exoplanet is probably too hot for human life because it sits close to its sun-like host star. But they believe another planet in the system may be habitable. Researchers made the discovery using a 3.6-meter telescope in La Silla, Chile.
