Earth-sized planet with a molten surface discovered orbiting Alpha Centauri B

[admin]

European astronomers working from the European Southern Observatory (ESO) in Chile have discovered a planet slightly more massive than Earth, orbiting a star in the Alpha Centauri triple star system – the nearest stellar system to our planet. Alpha Centauri Bb (as the new exoplanet is called, the star being Alpha Centauri B) was discovered by measuring the tiny wobbles of Alpha Centauri B as it moves in response to the gravitational pull of the orbiting planet. It is orbiting Alpha Centauri B every three days and six hours at an orbital radius of six million kilometers (3.7 million miles). The proximity to the star leads to a surface temperature of some 1,500º K (2,250º F/1,232º C) – hot enough to melt granite. .. Continue Reading Earth-sized planet with a molten surface discovered orbiting Alpha Centauri B

Section: Research Watch

Tags: Exoplanet, Multiple stars, Observatory, Orbit, RedShift, Space, Telescope

Related Articles:

• 20th Century Fox beams latest sci-fi flick into space
• Kepler mission discovers first planet orbiting two stars
• Historic pics show worlds beyond our solar system
• International team discovers planet made of diamond
• Sixteen super-Earths among fifty new exoplanets discovered by HARPS
• First “potentially habitable” exoplanet discovered