Gravity’s lens reveals the smallest and most distant world to date. OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb weighs in at 5.5 times Earth’s mass. It orbits 2.6 times farther from its M-type dwarf star than Earth circles the Sun. The system is located 21,500 light-years away toward the Milky Way’s center.
Francis Reddy
September 7, 2006
This month’s Astronomy is a special issue about exoplanets.
This month’s Astronomy is a special issue about exoplanets.
Astronomers have discovered about 200 planets outside of our solar system. What do these distant bodies tell us about planet formation? How soon will we find an exoplanet that is earthlike? Have we found any exoplanets that appear habitable? How will the hunt for other worlds change in the coming years?
Senior Editor Rich Talcott provides the ABCs of exoplanets in the week’s podcast.
After you listen, e-mail us here and let us know what you think.
