The impending demise of Kepler-1658b as it orbits its aging star offers an opportunity for scientists to gain insight into the fate of other planets and their evolving solar systems. Astronomers have made a groundbreaking discovery of an exoplanet whose orbit is deteriorating as it orbits an agin
Ashley Chontos, Princeton’s Henry Norris Russell Postdoctoral Fellow in Astrophysics, was part of a team discovering that Kepler-1658b is spiraling to its doom around its aging star, providing a chance to learn more about the fate of other worlds as their solar systems evolve. Chontos also led 2019 effort to confirm that this object was an exoplanet, not the false positive it had believed to be for a decade.
Ashley Chontos, Princeton’s Henry Norris Russell Postdoctoral Fellow in Astrophysics, was part of a team discovering that Kepler-1658b is spiraling to its doom around its aging star, providing a chance to learn more about the fate of other worlds as their solar systems evolve. Credit: Stephanie Reif, Princeton University Department of Astrophysical Sciences
The ill-fated exoplanet is designated Kepler-1658b. As its name indicates, astronomers discovered it with the Kepler space telescope, a pioneering planet-hunting mission that launched in 2009. This world was the very first new exoplanet candidate Kepler ever observed, at which point it was dubbed KOI 4.01 — the 4th Object of Interest identified by Kepler.
Detecting this decline required many years of careful observation. The watch started with Kepler and then was picked up by the Palomar Observatory’s Hale Telescope in Southern California and finally the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Telescope, or, which launched in 2018. All three instruments captured transits, the term for when an exoplanet crosses the face of its star and causes a very slight dimming of the star’s brightness.
Chontos, who came to Princeton only a few months ago, said that she is looking forward to discussing her findings with the theorists and other astrophysicists here.
México Últimas Noticias, México Titulares
Similar News:También puedes leer noticias similares a ésta que hemos recopilado de otras fuentes de noticias.
World’s tallest man feared he would step on world’s shortest manThe world’s tallest man revealed that he asked Guinness World Records officials to keep him away from the world’s shortest man when they met back in 2014 because he feared that he would…
Leer más »
Splash Mountain Closed At Disney World, And Disney Adults Are Reacting Like The World EndedPeak Disney Adult.
Leer más »
Scientists discover anti-aging gene that rewinds heart age by 10 yearsResearchers from England and Italy have discovered an anti-aging gene in a population of centenarians that can halt decay in heart function and rewind the heart's biological age.
Leer más »
Astronomers built a neutrino telescope 3km under the sea — here's whyThe Cubic Kilometre Neutrino Telescope, or KM3NeT, will take up enough ocean to fill 400,000 Olympic swimming pools.
Leer más »
Astronomers want to wield a tiny laser to look for life on neighboring worldsIt's a miniaturized version of a common lab machine, shrunk to a size perfect for launching off Earth toward neighboring moons and planets.
Leer más »
Astronomers can't wait to search for signs of life and massive black-hole mergersFrom black holes to the search for life, scientific breakthroughs are on the horizon.
Leer más »