Astronomers image planet around star

Astronomers image planet around star

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Astronomers have snapped a picture of what may turn out to be the first known planet orbiting a star similar to the Sun. If confirmed, it could challenge estimates of how far away planets can form from their host stars.

The planet appears to orbit the star at a distance of 330 astronomical units (1 AU is the distance from the Earth to the Sun). By comparison, Neptune, the most distant planet in our solar system, orbits the Sun at roughly 30 AU.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Edit to correct link

[edit on 15/9/2008 by bloodsearch]

Very interesting story and check the link for the picture. To be able to image a planet is incredible and the distance from the star is also very much unexpected.

This could be the one of the first giving direct proof of planets around stars.

Direct link
(visit the link for the full news article)

Edit to correct link

[edit on 15/9/2008 by bloodsearch]

Ok, cool, you fixed them. I`ll go and check it out, thanks.



[edit on 15-9-2008 by FiatLux]

I wonder if they will discover other planets in that system... THAT is VERY far away from the Sun... it will deffinately bring forth a lot of questions and solve some answers. Great find op.

I did have a question though... I'm pretty sure that they know a lot of stars have planets around them... I could be wrong but they have lots of proof of stars and planetary systems.

[edit on 15-9-2008 by rjmelter]

[edit on 15-9-2008 by rjmelter]

Originally posted by rjmelter
I wonder if they will discover other planets in that system... THAT is VERY far away from the Sun... it will deffinately bring forth a lot of questions and solve some answers. Great find op.

I did have a question though... I'm pretty sure that they know a lot of stars have planets around them... I could be wrong but they have lots of proof of stars and planetary systems.

[edit on 15-9-2008 by rjmelter]

[edit on 15-9-2008 by rjmelter]

You are correct but there are very few cases where we can actually observe the planets due to the brightness of the star and the low resolution of our instruments.

The main way we detect planets is through measuring the wobble of a star and inferring from this the size and approximate location of the planet. A effective but indirect method.

As our techniques improve we will be able to detect more and more low mass planets possibly like Earth

Ahh, that makes sense. Yes we use very basic methods to look for stars. What I cannot wait for is the new technology that will allow us to be able to view stars and view around them all of the possible planets... I beleive that all stars have planets... i could be wrong and I am sure that I am, but I do honestly beleive there is much potential to create planets when stars are formed.

I imagine we cant use basic telescopes though or it would end up a lot like focusing light onto ants with a magnifying lens. lol i dont think that woul dhappen reall because astronomers use telescopes all the time so nvm. Anyways

I beleive there are many Earth Like planets. God forbid we find one... and travel there only to find that the star is about to explode...

reply to post by rjmelter


I agree, and believe that all stars must have some planets or large rocky bodies. There must be dust and materials left over after the suns formation.

I think measuring the wobble of a star is not a very effective technique, as I don't get how they can accurately measure the size and distance of a large number of planets, like in our solar system and separate the effect of each on the star.

Talk about bad luck, if we traveled x number of light years only to see a supernova up close!

If this star is similar in size to our sun, does this challenge our current perceptions on gravity? I mean, that is a LONG ways for gravitational pull to be holding a planet sized object in orbit, in my opinion anyways.

Originally posted by ninthaxis
If this star is similar in size to our sun, does this challenge our current perceptions on gravity? I mean, that is a LONG ways for gravitational pull to be holding a planet sized object in orbit, in my opinion anyways.

yes this is interesting.

the planet could have been jolted from its natural orbit by complex gravitational events such as near/collisions with other planets that would change drasticly rhe its natural orbit.
it may not even be a planet made by that sun ,it could be a reminante of the previous sun and was blown that far out by the supernova event.or a planet captured from another sun ,or even a rogue planet!.