2024-04-27 03:40:21
The TESS space telescope has witnessed its first discovery: a free-floating planet known as a rogue planet, according to a study published in the Astrophysical Journal.
This is reported by Universe Today.
These mysterious objects wander through the vastness of space, regardless of connection with the stars. Scientists continue to delve into the mystery of their origin and properties. Today, astronomers continue to expand our picture of the Universe, discovering more than 5 thousand planets outside the Solar System. Most of them are known for orbiting their stars.
Recent research using the TESS telescope has led to a surprising discovery: astronomers have spotted a free-floating planet, or rogue planet, for the first time using this observatory.
This advance in space exploration allows us to better understand the diversity of planets in our galaxy and raises new questions about how they formed and evolved. The object was discovered thanks to the phenomenon of gravitational microlensing, when the planet flew into the field of view of the star TIC-107150013, located at a distance of about 10 light years from us.
At this point, the planet distorted the star’s light, creating a temporary increase in brightness that allowed astronomers to detect its presence. This discovery is another important step towards unraveling the mysteries surrounding these strange, free-floating worlds in space.
These mysterious objects, freely wandering in space, are not tied to any star due to the lack of gravitational connection. Their origin is the subject of lively debate, but a popular theory suggests that they may have been ejected from the parent star system during its formation, or perhaps later as a result of gravitational interactions between planets.
Gravitational microlensing is a unique method that is based on observing the passage of a rogue planet in front of a star. Under the influence of this distant star’s gravitational field, the light is distorted and focused, causing a temporary change in brightness as the planet passes by.
There are numerous objects in the Solar System, such as asteroids, exoplanets and star-related planets, as well as stellar flares, which can cause false results in the search for rogue planets
Earlier, Cursor wrote that astronomers announced the possible discovery of a new type of planet where extraterrestrial life could flourish. These “one-sided planets,” always with only one side facing their star, represent a unique class of worlds.
2024-04-27 03:40:21