One of them is particularly close and may therefore be the first of its kind that astronomers will be able to study - directly from Earth.
Ten new planets orbiting distant stars that serve as suns - all beyond our solar system - have recently been discovered. One of them is particularly close and may therefore be the first of its kind that astronomers will be able to study - directly from Earth.
The latest discovery was reported at a recent scientific conference in Manchester, England, attended by 2700 astronomers from 87 countries. It was stated there, that this brings the number of new planets discovered in recent times - all sun-like - to about 50, but not a single one of them resembles or resembles our solar system.
One of the newly discovered stars is probably a planet whose mass is similar to that of Jupiter. It orbited a sun-like star called Epsilon Eridani, which is 10.5 light years or over 100 trillion km from Earth. It is even visible to the naked eye in the star cluster "Aridani" (river). And he is the closest of those that have just been discovered - and he has a son.
The research on this topic was presented at the conference by Dr. William Cochran from the University of Texas, in Austin. In his opinion, during the coming winter it will be possible to observe this star from many parts of the USA (using a telescope).
Two other groups of researchers reported the discovery of nine more planets of this type. The goal of the project: to find star systems that resemble the planets in our solar system - and perhaps find a star in them that resembles the Earth and may have life in it, perhaps even cultures somewhat similar to ours. The research is also intended to provide information about the way the stars and planets formed, how they joined each other, how they migrated to their place and found neighbors.
The conclusion that now emerges from the comprehensive research is: despite everything, the system of planets to which the Earth belongs is unusual in the universe - if not unique and one-off.
Until six years ago, researchers had not found another planet beyond our solar system. It was not possible to "see" the likes of them. There were only indirect signs of their possible presence. Now, thanks to the new technical means that make it possible to identify movements, "oscillations" and gravity of planets and to calculate them - it is also possible to locate them.
Dr. Cochran's research, and the discovery of Epsilon Eridani, was carried out using four different telescopes and three measurement methods, as well as a re-examination of data from 20 years ago by a Canadian team of scientists.
As far as is known so far, the new planet is a giant ball of gas, whose mass is 318 times greater than that of Jupiter. Between our sun and the asteroid belt - about 450 million km. This is an "accentric orbit", one of the most distant discovered so far. The assumption is that the discovered star is too hot to support life.
