Earth-Like Planet Found Outside Solar System
Guy Gugliotta
Washington Post
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Scientists using a technique derived from Albert Einstein's theories said yesterday they have detected the most Earth-like planet ever discovered outside the solar system -- an icy, rocky world 5 1/2 times the size of Earth orbiting a star 28,000 light-years away.
The new planet, given the identifier OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb, was discovered last summer by teams of researchers using telescopes throughout the world. The scientists said the discovery suggested Earth-size planets are quite common in the universe.
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See Also:
Earth twin boosts hopes of life
Livermore scientists part of team discovering new, "solid" planet
New planet-hunting method could find more Earths
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In the past decade, scientists have found more than 160 extra-solar planets -- planets circling stars outside our solar system.
Most of the discoveries were made indirectly, by measuring the "wobble" in a star's motion caused by the gravitational pull of its planet.The current discovery, reported in today's issue of the journal Nature in a paper signed by 73 researchers, took advantage of a relatively new technique called gravitational microlensing, based on Einstein's precept that light from a distant star is bent by the gravitational pull of intervening stars, or other large bodies, on its way toward Earth.
Jan 26, 2006
Guy Gugliotta
Washington Post
___________
Scientists using a technique derived from Albert Einstein's theories said yesterday they have detected the most Earth-like planet ever discovered outside the solar system -- an icy, rocky world 5 1/2 times the size of Earth orbiting a star 28,000 light-years away.
The new planet, given the identifier OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb, was discovered last summer by teams of researchers using telescopes throughout the world. The scientists said the discovery suggested Earth-size planets are quite common in the universe.
________________
See Also:
Earth twin boosts hopes of life
Livermore scientists part of team discovering new, "solid" planet
New planet-hunting method could find more Earths
________________
In the past decade, scientists have found more than 160 extra-solar planets -- planets circling stars outside our solar system.
Most of the discoveries were made indirectly, by measuring the "wobble" in a star's motion caused by the gravitational pull of its planet.The current discovery, reported in today's issue of the journal Nature in a paper signed by 73 researchers, took advantage of a relatively new technique called gravitational microlensing, based on Einstein's precept that light from a distant star is bent by the gravitational pull of intervening stars, or other large bodies, on its way toward Earth.
Jan 26, 2006
