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Sure astronomers believe other planets exist. But finally, someone has managed to photograph one. A bunch of international astronomers, working at the Very Large Telescope (it's a real name) at the European Southern Observatory in the Atacama Desert in Chile, thinks they've photographed the very first planet outside our solar system:
The red spot is the planet, a giant that is four times bigger than Jupiter. As they say an image is worth a thousand words, an optical photograph is worth a thousand spectroscopic radiation analyses. The sun, dubbed 2MASSWJ1207334-393254 or "2M1207" to his friends, is a small brown-dwarf, a sun that failed to light up properly. According to spectroscopic analysis, water is found on the planet, a sure sign that it is cool and planet-like.
Exoplanet with water. That's an oasis in the lonesome and dry universe. Better make sure this is no optical mirage.
4 times bigger than Jupiter !!
How many tons would a man weight?? Better stay in the water if there is some. |
I am Bosco (email). I live in San Francisco. I am a postdoc researching the science of proteins. I write about performances, programming, books (of which I sometimes review) and other miscellanea. I make writing, pictures and software. Blogroll |
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