D-Bone
Aug 3rd '07, 03:48 PM
A planet outside our solar system with a year roughly equal to Earth's has been discovered around a dying, red giant star.
Only about 10 red giant stars are known to harbor planets; the new solar system is among the most distant of these.
Our sun will become a red giant in a few billion years, likely vaporizing Earth.
The finding, to be detailed in the November issue of Astrophysical Journal, was made by a team led by Penn State astronomer Alex Wolszczan, who in 1992 discovered the first planets outside our solar system around a deadly, radiation-spewing star.
Read More: http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/070802_redgiant_planet.html
Only about 10 red giant stars are known to harbor planets; the new solar system is among the most distant of these.
Our sun will become a red giant in a few billion years, likely vaporizing Earth.
The finding, to be detailed in the November issue of Astrophysical Journal, was made by a team led by Penn State astronomer Alex Wolszczan, who in 1992 discovered the first planets outside our solar system around a deadly, radiation-spewing star.
Read More: http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/070802_redgiant_planet.html