Fifth planet found in extra-solar system

[Brian G Turner]

Astronomers in the US say they have found a new planet in orbit around a star 41 light years from Earth.

The discovery brings to five the number of planets orbiting the star, 55 Cancri, the most found to date in a single solar system outside our own.

Astronomers have found more than 250 planets outside our own solar system - the team behind the latest discovery have found more than anyone else.

The new planet is a gas planet about 45 times the mass of the Earth.

Their latest find is a fifth planet to add to the four they had already discovered around 55 Cancri, a double or binary star in the constellation of Cancer.

Source: Astronomers discover new planet

 

[Mad Tam McC]

Not only that, the planet is in about the right place, so that any moons it had could have liquid water!

 

[HoopyFrood]

*Nods eagerly* Was reading about this the other day. As well as the possibility of one of the moons having water, astronomers are estimating that in the w-i-d-e gap between this planet and the one before it there might just be a small rocky planet like Earth or Mars.