Outline
There are various current discoveries that have occurred in the area of astronomy which are yet to be recorded in books that are currently in use. The new discoveries include several new planets which differ in their resemblance to the already recorded planets. However, a large number of the new discoveries are not fit for human habitation which is depicted by their abnormal environment. Among them are extrasolar planets as well as two others that are much like planet Saturn and planet Jupiter.
Introduction
Planets can be defined as bodies located in the outer space that assume round shapes and revolve around another heavenly body; the sun. Current studies have come up with the latest information about the planets which include discovery of other heavenly bodies that fit the description of planets. Among the new astronomical information is the discovery of additional planets that look like planet Saturn and planet Jupiter as well as the discovery of extrasolar planets. (Patrick, 2006)
Discovery of Planets That Look Like Planet Saturn and Planet Jupiter
Discovery of these new planets has been conducted by international scientists who pointed out the existence of new giant planets. Distance between the planets and their star is half that between the sun and Saturn together with Jupiter. However, distance between the new planets is similar to that between Saturn and planet Jupiter. This information was discovered in 2006 through the use of microlensing that has shown high rates of effectiveness in explorations of heavenly bodies. Scientists first realized the existence of these stars when a star moved past another star that is quite far from planet Earth. The star that had moved stayed in its new position for two weeks and during that period; it magnified light that came from the other star. In turn, these new planets received magnification from their star in a different manner.
This exploration was made possible due to high level of sensitivity of gravitational microlensing to systems of planets which records solar systems’ analogs, except that of planet Mercury. These new planets resemble the already recoded in our books in a version of a lesser scale when the two versions are compared in terms of existing temperatures, separation ratio as well as mass ratio. However, the level of their resemblance to the already existing solar system is more than that portrayed by other systems. In fact; it has been argued that Earth can comfortably survive in it. This discovery was confirmed by Livermore researchers who ran codes of microlensing measurements in a more advanced supercomputer which allowed movements of those new planets to be calculated in lesser time. Calculations using the codes resulted in similar results that showed that new planets that looked more like planets Saturn and planet Jupiter existed. These codes were developed by David Bennett which greatly assisted in undertaking analysis. Success of the new discovery can also be attributed to eleven telescopes that were based in several countries among them being Tasmania, U.S, Israel and New Zealand. (Patrick, 2006)
Sixteen Candidates of Extrasolar Planets
Another current astronomical exploration that is yet to be recorded in our books is that which was carried out by a team of researchers using a Space Telescope called Hubble. Hubble discovered sixteen candidates of extrasolar planets which were orbiting some distant stars that exist in the galaxy. Bonanza was one of the extrasolar planets which were discovered in the course of a planet search dubbed Sagittarius Window Search where “Window” meant that the center of the galaxy was more clearly viewed despite the fact that, its plane was dusty. One hundred and eighty thousand stars were closely monitored by Hubble where some level of dimming was noticed to come from the brightness of the stars. Hubble was used to confirm that, dimming was as a result of objects that were rotating around stars. Confirmation was brought by results from two different stars which were quite bright showing presence of extrasolar planets. This was achieved through a spectroscopic measurement of vibrations in movements of the stars which was primarily caused by the unseen extrasolar planets’ gravitational pull. (Fran, 2007)
Three Planets Together With a Belt of Asteroid
In May 2006, another group of planets that were much like the existing solar system was discovered. This discovery was carried out by European astronomers who found three planets together with a belt of asteroid. The planets were found to be rotating around a pale star that resembled the sun which was several light-years farther inside Puppies’ group. It was found out that, two of the three planets that were on the inner side of the group have each a mass that was ten times more than that of planet Earth. However, they are rocky just like planet Earth but their close rotation around their star makes them inhabitable. The third in the group of planets is quite larger as it has a mass that is eighteen times more than that of planet Earth. It rotates around its star at a further distance which makes its temperatures better than that of the other two and liquid water can exist in it. However, astronomical researchers found that, it was very large to be likened to planet Earth, more so, it is covered by hydrogen just like the case of planet Uranus as well as Neptune which makes it unfit for habitation. (Patrick, 2006)
Conclusion
The new astronomical discoveries have shown that, there are much more heavenly bodies that resemble the planets that are already recorded in our books. Some of the new discoveries fit the description of specific planets among the nine while others do not. Some are of larger sizes than the recorded nine planets while others are smaller. Furthermore, astronomic researchers are still coming up with more discoveries as the high technology continues to introduce better devices to assist in the discoveries. (Fran, 2007)
References
Fran B. (2007): Planets, Satellites and Magnetosphere: Cambridge University Press pp20-25.
Patrick C. (2006): Extra solar planets: Springer pp14-16.