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Credit & Copyright: J. B. Kaler
(UIUC)
Explanation:
A planet has been found orbiting a Sun-like star only 10
light-years
away.
No direct picture of the planet was taken - the
planet was discovered
by the
gravitational wobble it created on its parent star,
Epsilon Eridani.
The
discovery marks
the closest
Sun-like star
yet found
to house an
extra-solar planet.
Pictured above, the
star
Epsilon Eridani
is visible near the
belt of Orion to the unaided eye.
The detected planet is thought to have a mass like
Jupiter but
orbit slightly closer in.
The
elliptical
nature of the planet's orbit raises questions
about whether the nearly circular orbits of planets in our own
Solar System
are relatively uncommon.
It is unknown whether other planets exist around
Epsilon Eridani.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: Epsilon Eridani - nearby stars
Publications with words: Epsilon Eridani - nearby stars
See also: