51 Eridani b
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Template:Planetbox separation Template:Planetbox character Template:Planetbox discovery Template:Planetbox reference Template:Planetbox end 51 Eridani b is a "Jupiter-like" planet that orbits the young star 51 Eridani, in the constellation Eridanus.[1] Its location is approximately 100 light years away, and it is approximately 20 million years old.[2]
General information
51 Eridani b was announced in August 2015, but was discovered in December 2014 using the Gemini Planet Imager, an international project led by the Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology. 51 Eridani b is the first exoplanet discovered by the Gemini Planet Imager.[3] The Gemini Planet Imager was specifically created to discern and evaluate dim, newer planets orbiting bright stars through “direct imaging.”[4] Direct imaging allows astronomers to use adaptive optics to sharpen the resolution of the image of a target star, then obstruct its starlight.[4] Any residual incoming light is then scrutinized, and the brightest spots suggest a possible planet.[4]
Scientists estimate the mass to be twice that of Jupiter,[5] and has the strongest methane signature of any exoplanet.[6] This powerful methane signature should produce additional clues as to how 51 Eridani b was formed.[3] The average temperature is 650 °C, which is substantially hotter than the minus 145 °C average temperature of Jupiter, the planet in the Solar System of closest size.[7] Employing the Gemini Planet Imager's spectrometer instrument, astronomers announced in August 2015 that they also detected the presence of water.[8] It orbits the star 51 Eridani in the constellation Eridanus.[5] Prior to the discovery of 51 Eridani b, each of the directly-imaged worlds previously discovered have been gas giants many times the mass of Jupiter.[5]
References
- ^ Choi, Charles (August 13, 2015). "Found! 'Young Jupiter,' the Smallest Exoplanet Directly Seen by Telescope". Retrieved August 15, 2015.
- ^ Hadhazy, Adam (August 13, 2015). "'Young Jupiter' 51 Eridani b: Why Directly Imaging an Exoplanet Is Big". space.com. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
- ^ a b http://news.stanford.edu/news/2015/august/exoplanet-macintosh-eridani-081315.html
- ^ a b c http://www.nasa.gov/feature/ames/nasa-scientists-help-understand-newly-discovered-planet
- ^ a b c http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/astronomers-glimpse-a-young-jupiter-51-eridani-b/
- ^ "Astronomers Discover Young Planet That Looks Like Jupiter 100 Light Years Away".
- ^ "Exoplanet 51 Eridani b: A Red-Hot Young Jupiter Around Distant Star (Infographic)".
- ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-33922503
