Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. 24/7 Space News .




EXO WORLDS
Russia to Start Own Search for Extrasolar Planets
by Staff Writers
Moscow, Russia (RIA Novosti) Feb 03, 2012


File image.

Russian astronomers are planning to start their own search for planets outside the Solar System using ground-based telescopes, head of the Institute for Space Research Lev Zelyony said on Wednesday.

"Scientists from the Pulkovo Observatory are planning to use ground-based instruments to study the transit of planets around their parent stars," Zelyony said at a roundtable meeting at RIA Novosti headquarters in Moscow.

The search for extrasolar planets or exoplanets is one of the fastest developing areas of astronomy. A total of 755 such planets have been identified since 1989 when observations suggested that a planet orbits the star Gamma Cephei in the constellation of Cepheus.

The U.S. Kepler and France's CoRoT space telescopes proved to be very successful in identifying exoplanets but ground-based projects could also be effective, Zelyony said citing the example of the Hungarian Automated Telescope Network (HATNet) which so far has discovered 29 exoplanets.

The transit method of detection, which the Russian astronomers are planning to use, is based on the observation of a star's small drop in brightness that occurs when the orbit of a planet passes in front of the star.

"It is an interesting research, which should be pursued," Zelyony said. "It will also help us look at our Solar System from a different perspective."

Source: RIA Novosti

.


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






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

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








EXO WORLDS
Fourth potentially habitable planet is discovered
Washington (AFP) Feb 2, 2012
International astronomers said on Thursday they have found the fourth potentially habitable planet outside our solar system with temperatures that could support water and life about 22 light-years from Earth. The team analyzed data from the European Southern Observatory about a star known as GJ 667C, which is known as an M-class dwarf star and puts out much less heat than our Sun. Howev ... read more


EXO WORLDS
NASA Mission Returns First Video From Lunar Far Side

A Moon Colony by 2020

U.S. Presidential Hopeful Promises Moon Base by 2020

Moon looms bright over Republican debate

EXO WORLDS
U.K. study: Mars surface too dry for life

Radio Doppler Tracking Continues at Cape York

Russia May Repeat Mars-500 Simulation on Space Station

A dark spot on Mars - Syrtis Major

EXO WORLDS
NASA Receives Final NRC Report On Space Technology Roadmaps

Final Call to Register and Win Suborbital Research Flight

Northrop Grumman Develops Solar Electric Propulsion Flight Concepts for Future Space Missions

How NASA Solved a 100 Million Dollar Problem for Five Bucks

EXO WORLDS
China's satellite navigation sector annual output predicted to reach 35 bln USD in 2015

China plans to launch 21 rockets, 30 satellites this year

Shenzhou 9 Behind the Curtain

China Plans to Launch 30 Satellites in 2012

EXO WORLDS
Next manned ISS mission to launch May 15: Russia

Capsule failure delays ISS crew mission

Russia to postpone next manned space launch: official

Russia will replace Soyuz for next ISS mission: source

EXO WORLDS
SpaceX flight to ISS could be late March: NASA

Feb 13 set as new date for Europe's Vega rocket

Launch of Proton-M with Dutch Satellite Postponed

First Vega rocket assembled on launch pad

EXO WORLDS
Russia to Start Own Search for Extrasolar Planets

Planets Circling Around Twin Suns

Scientists help define structure of exoplanets

Fourth potentially habitable planet is discovered

EXO WORLDS
Smart paint could revolutionize structural safety

LockMart MUOS Satellite Encapsulated In Launch Vehicle Payload Fairing

Green light for Malaysia rare earths plant

Space Radiation Blamed for Phobos-Grunt Crash




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA Portal 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. 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. Privacy Statement