. 24/7 Space News .
EXO WORLDS
Hot, metallic Mercury-like exoplanet discovered 340 light-years from Earth
by Brooks Hays
Washington (UPI) Mar 28, 2018

Astronomers have discovered a hot and metallic exoplanet situated 340 light-years from Earth.

Though K2-229b is just 20 percent larger than Earth, its mass is 2.5 times greater, making it about as dense as Mercury. The alien planet orbits an active K dwarf in the Virgo Constellation at a distance of more than 1 million miles.

Astronomers at Aix-Marseille University in France confirmed the presence of K2-229b using data from the K2 telescope and a type of Doppler spectroscopy technique called the "wobble method."

Periodic dimming first revealed the presence of the Mercury-like planet, but scientists were able to better characterize its mass and composition by measuring the wobble of the K dwarf's light caused by the gravitational influence of K2-229b.

"Mercury stands out from the other solar system terrestrial planets, showing a very high fraction of iron and implying it formed in a different way," David Armstrong, an astronomer at the University of Warwick, said in a news release. "We were surprised to see an exoplanet with the same high density, showing that Mercury-like planets are perhaps not as rare as we thought."

"Interestingly K2-229b is also the innermost planet in a system of at least 3 planets, though all three orbit much closer to their star than Mercury," Armstrong said. "More discoveries like this will help us shed light on the formation of these unusual planets, as well as Mercury itself."

It's possible the exoplanet's dense, metallic nature is the product of its close proximity to its host star. Daily temperatures on the exoplanet exceed 2,000 degrees Celsius. When the planet was forming, solar flares may have stripped away its atmosphere and outer layers, leaving behind only a dense core.

It's also possible that K2-229b is the product of a violent collision between two large astronomical bodies, similar to the collision astronomers believe forged Earth's moon.

Studying the evolution of distant solar systems and the nature of the planets that reside in them -- including Mercury-like exoplanets like K2-229b -- can offer clues to the history of our own solar system, researchers say.

Researchers described the discovery of K2-229b this week in the journal Nature.


Related Links
Lands Beyond Beyond - extra solar planets - news and science
Life Beyond Earth


Thanks for being there;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5+ Billed Monthly


paypal only
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal


EXO WORLDS
Kepler beyond planets: finding exploding stars
Pasadena CA (JPL) Mar 27, 2018
Astronomer Ed Shaya was in his office looking at data from NASA's Kepler space telescope in 2012 when he noticed something unusual: The light from a galaxy had quickly brightened by 10 percent. The sudden bump in light got Shaya instantly excited, but also nervous. The effect could be explained by the massive explosion of a star - a supernova! - or, more troublingly, a computer error. "I just remember on that day, not knowing whether I should believe it or not," he remembers. Rather than celebrate ... read more

Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.



Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

EXO WORLDS
NASA accepting applications for mission control leaders

Fifty years on, Yuri Gagarin's death still shrouded in mystery

Rooting for Answers: Simulating G-Force to Test Plant Gravity Perception in Mustard Seedlings

What the first American astronauts taught us about living in space

EXO WORLDS
University student projects launch from NASA Wallops

Funds shortage pulls the brakes on India's crucial space programs

Chinese scientists developing bee-inspired aerospace vehicle

3D printing rocket engines in SPAIN

EXO WORLDS
Opportunity making extensive study of rock target Aguas Calientes

Curiosity rover gets ready for its next adventure

First test success for largest Mars mission parachute

Elon Musk's vision to colonize Mars updated in New Space

EXO WORLDS
Earth-bound Chinese spacelab plunging to fiery end

Chang'e-4 Lunar Probe will Reach the Far Side of the Moon

China to launch Long March-5B rocket next year

China plans to develop a multipurpose, reusable space plane

EXO WORLDS
Relativity Space raises 35M in Series B funding

SSL to build direct broadcasting satellite for B-SAT

Spacecom selects SSL to build AMOS-8 comsat with advanced capabilities

Ground-breaking satellite projects will transform society

EXO WORLDS
Femtosecond laser fabrication: Realizing dynamics control of electrons

Is glass transition driven by thermodynamics?

Pressing a button is more challenging than appears

Researchers use 3-D printing to create metallic glass alloys

EXO WORLDS
New study shows what interstellar visitor Oumuamua can teach us

Characterization of a water world in a multi-exoplanetary system

NASA prepares to launch next ExoPlanet mission

Kepler beyond planets: finding exploding stars

EXO WORLDS
Jupiter's turmoil more than skin deep: researchers

New Horizons Chooses Nickname for 'Ultimate' Flyby Target

Jupiter's Great Red Spot getting taller as it shrinks

Jupiter's Jet-Streams Are Unearthly









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.