The French and European Space Agency have plans to launch the COROT spacecraft in December to look for exoplanets, or planets outside of our solor system. NASA is not far behind, planning to send the Kepler into space in October 2008. And how many explanets have been discovered to date? According to the California and Carnegie Planet Search site, about 182 exoplanets have been detected by astronomers. For example, the site currently highlights a "Super-Earth" orbiting the star Gliese 876. This newly discovered planet is a 7.5 Earth-mass planet orbiting this star and the lowest mass exoplanet known to be nearby.
Monday, November 27
The Search for New Planets
The French and European Space Agency have plans to launch the COROT spacecraft in December to look for exoplanets, or planets outside of our solor system. NASA is not far behind, planning to send the Kepler into space in October 2008. And how many explanets have been discovered to date? According to the California and Carnegie Planet Search site, about 182 exoplanets have been detected by astronomers. For example, the site currently highlights a "Super-Earth" orbiting the star Gliese 876. This newly discovered planet is a 7.5 Earth-mass planet orbiting this star and the lowest mass exoplanet known to be nearby.