Astroseismology Finds Smallest Planet Outside Solar System
Posted By Barry Ritholtz On February 21, 2013 @ 8:00 am In Science,Weekend | Comments Disabled
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Source: BBC [2]
Amazing:
To spot the tiny, probably rocky planet, they first needed to precisely measure the size of its host star. They did so using “astroseismology” – effectively, turning tiny variations in the star’s light into sounds.
A report in Nature [3] describes the blistering, probably rocky planet, which orbits its star in just 13 days.
It is joined in this far-flung solar system by two other planets, one three-quarters Earth’s size and one twice as large as Earth – all circling their star too closely to harbour liquid water or life.
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URL to article: http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2013/02/astroseismology-finds-smallest-planet-outside-solar-system/
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[1] Image: http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/65957068_lineup.jpg
[2] BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-21471908
[3] A report in Nature: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature11914
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