Artist’s rendition makes it look like Char.
http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2009/09/16/tech-astronomy-rocky-planet.html
I was starting to think all planets outside our solar system were gas giants. This one was probably found because it was hot enouh to show up on the infrared spectrum.
That doesn’t look anything like me.
That’s 'cause you’re not in front of a sun right now.
They had to find a solid extrasolar planet sooner or later, the possibilities for it were too big. Too bad this one is too hot to contain life. But again, the odds that a cooler one exists somewhere, are likely, especially now that we found Corot. It is an exciting discovery.
Do planets get closer to the sun they orbit? It seems like the sun’s gravity would pull them in, instead of just keaping it in orbit.
They can yes, if they orbit it too slowly.
Corot-7b is a cool name.
And if it turns out to be Char, I advise against abandoning our psy-ops gals on planets overrun by the Zerg. It’s all for the best, really.
Exciting news, indeed.
So, Gliese 581 e was “demoted”? Somehow I missed that.
http://www.astronomynow.com/090421lightexoplanet.html
Or they could be ocean/ice worlds, like Gliese 581 e’ sister planet, Gliese 581 d.
I agree that we should have found a rocky planet outside our solar system sooner or later. The odds are so overwhelming. I think they need to search a little farther from stars so they don’t find more of these “hot rocks”.
