Recently, scientists have discovered a temperate exoplanet that size is closely related to Jupiter. "CoRoT-9b is the first transiting extrasolar planet that is definitely similar to a planet in our solar system, namely Jupiter." Named CoRoT-9b after the CoRoT space telescope that discovered it, the French found the planet in the constellation, Serpens Cauda, which is located 1500 light years from our home planet. Unique to this planet, it is both transits a star and is a temperate planet. The transit of a star occurs when a celestial body passes over a star, blocking some of it's light. CoRoT-9b is unique in many other ways too. "The planet is mostly made of hydrogen and helium, but may contain up to 20 Earth masses of heavier elements including rock and water under high pressure." CoRoT-95 takes much longer than other planets to orbit its star, an approximate 95 Earth days compared to just one Earth day back on our planet. "The CoRoT satellite identified the planet after 150 days of continuous observation in the summer of 2008." All in all this planet it is an extraordinary achievement as discovering a planet is always an awe inspiring thing. "Only 25 years ago no extrasolar planets were known, and today we know of more than 400." Thats all for now on CoRoT-9b! Come back later for more science related news (:
Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100317144644.htm
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