November 17, 2008

Google Logo Add Us On GoogleAdd SciAm

Multiple Planets Caught Orbiting Distant Star

Using a technique called adaptive optics, astronomers were able to produce the first image of an entire solar system far from ours. Cynthia Graber reports

Illustration of a Bohr atom model spinning around the words Science Quickly with various science and medicine related icons around the text

Join Our Community of Science Lovers!

[The following is an exact transcript of this podcast.]

Science fiction is filled with stories of planets circling distant stars. Now astronomers have produced the first image of multiple planets circling a star that’s not our sun. The planets are five to thirteen times more massive than Jupiter. And their order by size mimics our own solar system. The discovery is in the November 14th issue of the journal Science.

Astronomers faced a big challenge finding those planets: telescopes can’t just catch a planet in orbit. So a common method is to determine the planets’ gravitational pull on their home star. But that only works for planets whose orbit is relatively close to their sun. Newer procedures measure infrared radiation from recently formed planets. And a technique called adaptive optics is also used to create images of planets. It corrects for the fact that the glare of the home star makes nearby planets difficult to see. It was adaptive optics that made the new solar system visible to us.

In other world news, a planet’s been found orbiting the star Fomalhaut, just 25 light-years from earth. Next year they’ll find out who gets elected President, Reagan or Mondale.

—Cynthia Graber 

On supporting science journalism

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.

60-Second Science is a daily podcast. Subscribe to this Podcast:

RSS | iTunes 

It’s Time to Stand Up for Science

If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.

I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.

If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.

In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can't-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.

There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.

Thank you,

David M. Ewalt, Editor in Chief, Scientific American

Subscribe
Multiple Planets Caught Orbiting Distant Star