An international team of astronomers have accidentally found a ‘never
before seen’ planet ‘floating’ without orbiting a star, some 80 light
years away from earth. It is a mere 12 million years old, a newborn in
space terms.
The planet, now known as PSO J318.5-22 has a mass roughly six
times that of Jupiter and was formed only 12 million years ago.
While that sounds ancient, in planetary terms it is considered a
mere infant.
Its most unique aspect is its similar mass, color, and energy output to directly imaged planets, the press release on the university’s website says.
“PSO J318.5-22 is not orbiting a star so it will be much easier for us to study. It is going to provide a wonderful view into the inner workings of gas-giant planets like Jupiter shortly after their birth,” Niall Deacon of the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Germany, and a co-author of the study, said.
The planet, now known as PSO J318.5-22 has a mass roughly six
times that of Jupiter and was formed only 12 million years ago.
While that sounds ancient, in planetary terms it is considered a
mere infant. Its most unique aspect is its similar mass, color, and energy output to directly imaged planets, the press release on the university’s website says.
“PSO J318.5-22 is not orbiting a star so it will be much easier for us to study. It is going to provide a wonderful view into the inner workings of gas-giant planets like Jupiter shortly after their birth,” Niall Deacon of the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Germany, and a co-author of the study, said.
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