Possible terrestrial extrasolar planet found

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the discovery of a potentially terrestrial extrasolar planet, which is reported to be about 14 times the mass of Earth. Participants explore the implications of this finding, including the characteristics of the planet, the methods used for its discovery, and the broader context of planetary systems beyond our own.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Meta-discussion

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants note that the discovered planet could be classified as a "super Earth" with a thin atmosphere, but express uncertainty about its exact nature due to its mass being significantly higher than typical terrestrial planets.
  • There is a question regarding the mass limit of terrestrial planets, with some participants suggesting that 14 times the mass of Earth seems unusually high for a rocky world.
  • One participant mentions that the discovery was made using a small telescope, specifically a 4" aperture, and discusses the implications for amateur astronomers interested in planet discovery.
  • Another participant clarifies that the discovery of the terrestrial planet was actually made with a large telescope at the European Southern Observatory, indicating a misunderstanding in the initial reports.
  • Further discussion highlights the commonality of stars with planetary systems similar to our solar system, referencing future missions like the Kepler Mission and the Space Interferometry Mission that may enhance our understanding of such systems.
  • Some participants express confusion about the size of the planet, with one noting that while it is described as small, it is still significantly larger than Earth.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants exhibit disagreement regarding the methods of discovery and the classification of the planet. There is no consensus on the mass limit for terrestrial planets, and confusion persists about the size of the newly discovered planet.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight limitations in the reporting of the discovery, particularly regarding the instruments used and the nature of the planets discovered. There are also unresolved questions about the definitions of terrestrial planets and the implications of their mass.

Phobos
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http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/space/08/26/new.planet/index.html

...astronomers have found one of the smallest planets known outside our solar system, a world about 14 times the mass of our own around a star much like the sun.

...It could be a rocky planet with a thin atmosphere, a sort of "super Earth"...

But this is no typical Earth. It completes its tight orbit in less than 10 days...Its daytime face would be scorched.

The system has two other outer gas planets, which makes it more similar to our own solar system than anything else found so far.
 
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what is currently considered the mass limit of terrestrial planets? 14X seems higher than I thought was possible for rocky worlds-
 
setAI said:
what is currently considered the mass limit of terrestrial planets? 14X seems higher than I thought was possible for rocky worlds-

The article discusses it. It does seem to be right at the limit.
 
SMALL telescope made the discovery

Interestingly enough, my morning paper carried an article by AP Science Writer J. B. Verrignia who claims that the discovery was made with a SMALL telescope. This link confirms that the instrument was a 4" aperture telescope and that the planet was discovered via photometry.

http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/previous/latest.html

I guess I should buy some photometric gear and an auto-guider and turn my 6" APO into a planet-discovering machine!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
turbo-1 said:
Interestingly enough, my morning paper carried an article by AP Science Writer J. B. Verrignia who claims that the discovery was made with a SMALL telescope. This link confirms that the instrument was a 4" aperture telescope and that the planet was discovered via photometry.

http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/previous/latest.html

I guess I should buy some photometric gear and an auto-guider and turn my 6" APO into a planet-discovering machine!
The small telescope is the easiest part of the system. You also need a large, sensitive CCD; fortunately these are available for amateurs (e.g. Apogee Instruments), a good autoguider (again well within reach of amateurs, e.g. SBIG), lots of computer power (top of the line PCs will do), and image analysis software (uh oh!). The most expensive part is the CCD (>~$10,000?); the most difficult is the image analysis software.
 
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turbo-1 said:
Interestingly enough, my morning paper carried an article by AP Science Writer J. B. Verrignia who claims that the discovery was made with a SMALL telescope. This link confirms that the instrument was a 4" aperture telescope and that the planet was discovered via photometry.

Reread that article you linked to (it's a little confusing the way they presented it). The recent discovery of an extrasolar planet using a 4" scope was of a Jupiter-sized planet. I started a separate topic on that.

https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=40662

The discovery of this terrestrial planet was done with a big telescope.

The discovery was made with a European Southern Observatory telescope at La Silla, Chile, working at the verge of what's possible to detect.

The VLT consists of four 8.2-meter and several 1.8-meter telescopes (linked).
 
Further corroboration of what is becoming increasingly apparent. Stars with planetary systems not unlike the solar system are quite common. the Kepler Mission [planned launch: 2007] and the Space Interferometry Mission [proposed launch: 2009] should result in a large number of addition to the current catalog. See link for details.
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/future_missions.cfm
 
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Phobos said:
Reread that article you linked to (it's a little confusing the way they presented it). The recent discovery of an extrasolar planet using a 4" scope was of a Jupiter-sized planet. I started a separate topic on that.
Duh! The the article in the newspaper was an agglomeration, announcing the discovery of both planets - Jupiter sized and "very-large-but-rocky". The paper used a headline implying that the discoveries were done with very small telescopes, and predicted a new wave of small-telescope planet-hunters would arise, never mentioning that a very large scope had been used to locate the rocky one. I typed in the link right out of the newspaper article and didn't take the time to read it through. :redface: Never take a newspaper science writer at face value.

Thanks for the clarification Phobos! Now my dream of discovering a terrestrial planet is shattered. I will have to wait until I can buy a 60" R-C scope and a decent observatory to house it in (even a Powerball win wouldn't cover that). Maybe if I figure and polish the mirrors by hand, maybe I can cut costs! Of course, I'll be at least 200 years old before I'm done. :-p
 
  • #10
wow that's a small planet
 
  • #11
Gold Barz said:
wow that's a small planet

:confused: It's much bigger than the Earth.
 
  • #12
what the hell? i must have misread something
 

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