HD 219134b
Another extrasolar planet now called HD 219134b was just discovered, and it’s actually a rocky planet, like Earth. It’s also the closest rocky planet yet discovered this close to our own solar system. Huzzah!
HOW FAR IS THIS MAJESTIC OASIS
Too far for you to walk or drive. Or fly, for that matter. HD 219134b is 21 light years away, but it is possible for us to explore the planet someday.
This newfound planet is also a “transiting” world, meaning it crosses in front of its host star from our perspective. Of course we can’t see it from Earth, even with the most powerful telescopes, because its star so bright in comparison. Imagine trying to see a bird descend from the sky in the same line of sight as the sun.
SO HOW DO WE DETECT EXTRASOLAR PLANETS? …show more content…
This means we can measure the drop in brightness, and infer the planet’s mass and size. This information allows us to calculate its density, and with that knowledge, we can know whether the planet is rocky like Mars, Venus or Earth, or gaseous, like Jupiter, Saturn or Uranus (or even icy, like
HOW FAR IS THIS MAJESTIC OASIS
Too far for you to walk or drive. Or fly, for that matter. HD 219134b is 21 light years away, but it is possible for us to explore the planet someday.
This newfound planet is also a “transiting” world, meaning it crosses in front of its host star from our perspective. Of course we can’t see it from Earth, even with the most powerful telescopes, because its star so bright in comparison. Imagine trying to see a bird descend from the sky in the same line of sight as the sun.
SO HOW DO WE DETECT EXTRASOLAR PLANETS? …show more content…
This means we can measure the drop in brightness, and infer the planet’s mass and size. This information allows us to calculate its density, and with that knowledge, we can know whether the planet is rocky like Mars, Venus or Earth, or gaseous, like Jupiter, Saturn or Uranus (or even icy, like