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Astronomers Use Hubble to 'W
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| Title |
Astronomers Use Hubble to 'Weigh' Dog Star's Companion |
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Astronomers Use Hubble to 'W
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| Title |
Astronomers Use Hubble to 'Weigh' Dog Star's Companion |
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70 Virginis b: A New Water P
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70 Virginis b: A New Water Planet? |
| Explanation |
The star 70 Virginis [ http://www.physics.sfsu.edu/~gmarcy/planetsearch/70vir/70vir.html ] has a planet. This recent discovery [ http://www.physics.sfsu.edu/~gmarcy/planetsearch/70vir/70vir.ps ] is the second known case of a planet orbiting a normal star other than our Sun [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap950813.html ] itself. The first case involved 51 Pegasi [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap951201.html ] and was announced last year. The star 70 Vir, shown in the center of the above false-color picture, is very much like the Sun [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap950925.html ]. The planet [ http://pio06.urel.berkeley.edu/documentation/Marcy2.html ] is not visible above - the unusual structure surrounding the star is caused by the telescope. The planet, designated 70 Vir b for short, was discovered [ http://www.physics.sfsu.edu/~gmarcy/planetsearch/planetsearch.html ] by very slight periodic shifts in its colors. Defining characteristics of this planet include that it is at least eight times the mass of Jupiter [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap951206.html ], it's orbit is much smaller than Jupiter [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap950625.html ]'s, and it's temperature allows water [ http://www.mother.com/uswaternews/news.html ] to exist in liquid form - like on the Earth [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap951118.html ]. Life on Earth [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap950622.html ] is based on liquid water [ http://miranda.bu.edu/cps-wamnet.html ] - could life exist here too? [ http://altair.syr.edu:2024/SETI/toc.html ] |
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