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June 14, 2005
Scientists discover earth-like planet
"Earth's Cousin" just 15 light years from here
A pair of American astronomers believe they have discovered an earth-like planet orbiting a nearby star. Until now, most exoplanets (planets outside our solar system) discovered have been gas giants or have been orbiting pulsars - conditions that make it unlikely they could support life.
'Earth's Bigger Cousin' Found Circling Distant StarBy John von Radowitz, PA Science Correspondent
Astronomers believe they have discovered “Earth’s bigger cousin” orbiting a nearby star 15 light years away, it was disclosed today.The planet could be the first rocky, terrestrial world to be found circling a normal star outside the Solar System.
Virtually all of the nearly 150 other extrasolar planets identified so far have been larger than Uranus, an icy gas giant in our own system with about 15 times the mass of the Earth.
The only exceptions have been three small planets reported orbiting a pulsar, the flashing corpse of an exploded star.
Finding a rocky planet orbiting a common, ordinary star raises hopes of one day discovering another Earth.
Posted by maxthecat on June 14, 2005 at 09:30 AM | Comments (0)
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