Kepler Discovers a New System of 7 Planets
NASA’s Kepler missions have concluded, but astronomers persist in refining their data, leading to remarkable discoveries in exoplanets. Among these findings is identifying the hottest seven-planet system, facilitated by meticulous data analysis.
A Fiery Star at the Center: Kepler-385
At the heart of this extraordinary system is Kepler-385, a star surpassing our Sun in size by approximately 10 percent and radiating a scorching heat that is 5 percent higher.
In stark contrast to the expansive orbits in our own Solar System, these exoplanets hug their star, basking in an intense influx of light.
Seven Planets nearby
The first two exoplanets in this system have orbital periods of 10 and 15 days, respectively, and possess radii only slightly larger than Earth’s. These rocky worlds, if they include an atmosphere, likely have a thin one.
The remaining five planets are more giant, falling short of being classified as giant planets. These super-Earths boast a radius twice that of our planet and are enveloped in a dense atmosphere.
A Milestone in Exoplanet Research
Professor Jason Rowe of Bishop’s University remarks, “Our revision to the Kepler Exoplanet catalog provides the first true uniform analysis of exoplanet properties. Improvements in characterizing planetary and stellar attributes have opened the door for an in-depth exploration of exoplanetary systems, allowing us to draw parallels with our Solar System and delve into the intricacies of specific systems like Kepler-385.”
A Unique Planetary Arrangement
All seven planets orbit well within the inner boundary of the habitable zone, yet they are too hot to sustain life as we know it. Nevertheless, astronomers are captivated by the planetary configuration of this septet.
Notably, the innermost two and the outermost three planets exhibit a resonance in their orbits, with their rotational periods finely synchronized, yielding a captivating sonification.
A Breakthrough in Orbital Understanding
Professor Eric Ford from Penn State underscores the significance of this discovery, saying, “Our new result is a more direct and model-independent demonstration that systems with more transiting planets have more circular orbits.” This finding highlights the relationship between the number of transiting planets and orbital eccentricities.
Kepler’s Enduring Legacy
The catalog of planet candidates unveiled by Kepler remains unrivaled in its size and uniformity, representing a valuable resource for exoplanetary research. While current observatories continue to advance, these researchers emphasize that Kepler’s data remains the gold standard for investigating exoplanets.
Jack Lissauer, a research scientist at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley and lead author of the paper presenting the new catalog, sums it up, “We’ve assembled the most accurate list of Kepler planet candidates and their properties to date. NASA’s Kepler mission has discovered most known exoplanets, and this new catalog will enable astronomers to learn more about their characteristics.”
Read the original article on IFL Science.
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