Rocky Exoplanet: An Earth-like World

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planetBBC NEWS – Astronomers have discovered the smallest planet outside our Solar System, and the first that is undoubtedly rocky like Earth.

Measurements of unprecedented precision have shown that the planet, Kepler 10b, has a diameter 1.4 times that of Earth, and a mass 4.6 times higher.

However, because it orbits its host star so closely, the planet could not harbour life.

The discovery has been hailed as “among the most profound in human history”.

The result was announced at the 217th annual meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Seattle, US, by Nasa’s Kepler team.

Continue reading about Rocky Exo-planet: An Earth-like World.

Article by Jason Palmer

© BBC, 2011

Photograph by flickr user sezzles

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