HD3651 A and B
Posted on 01/24/2007 8:24:07 AM PST by SunkenCiv
Since the discovery in 1995 of the first extrasolar planet around a normal star (51 Pegasi), it has become evident that there exists an unexpected diversity of planetary systems, most of them very different to our Solar System. First, it was found that there are many massive planets placed extremely close to their parent stars: the so-called "hot Jupiters"... Second, it was shown that the process of planetary formation is not restricted to single stars as our Sun: indeed, under certain circumstances, it is possible to form planets around binary stars, which are a much more dynamically complex environment than our own Solar System... a quite bright star, gamma Cephei, a star with a planet (gamma Cephei Ab) with a minimum mass 1.7 times that of planet Jupiter and with a period of around three years. From previous spectroscopic studies this star is known to also have a low-mass stellar companion (gamma Cephei B) orbiting the brighter component. The team has now been able to get the first direct images of the secondary star which significantly improve the determination of physical parameters of the gamma Cephei system... HD 3651 is a nearby faint, red star, known to have a sub-Saturn-mass planet. The scientists discovered that the very faint companion is in fact a cool brown dwarf, the first brown dwarf directly imaged as companion to an exoplanet host star.
(Excerpt) Read more at scenta.co.uk ...
HD3651 A and B
Scientists snap first images of brown dwarf in planetary system
Penn State Live | Monday, September 18, 2006 | Barbara Kennedy
Posted on 09/18/2006 2:05:12 PM EDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1703664/posts
McDonald Observatory Planet Search finds first planet orbiting close-in binary star
University of Texas McDonald Observatory | 9 October 2002 | Rebecca Johnson
Posted on 11/26/2006 11:42:49 PM EST by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1744395/posts
Earth's strongest winds wouldn't even be a breeze on these planets
University of Washington Office of News and Information | January 9, 2007 | Vince Stricherz
Posted on 01/10/2007 9:53:45 AM EST by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1765234/posts
SunkenCiv, if you could add me to the ping list that'd be great.
So the Earth is going to turn into Tatooine?
Only in the X-Files movie sequel...
Bump for later reading
(the link goes to the TinyPic host where the graphic lives)
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