Alpha Centauri Bb
Alpha Centauri Bb is an extrasolar planet orbiting the K-type star Alpha Centauri B approximately 4.37 lightyears away in the southern constellation of Centaurus. On 16 October 2012, a team of European astronomers[1][2] announced that an Earth-mass planet was detected in orbit around Alpha Centauri B using the radial velocity technique.[3][4] Over three years of observations were needed for the difficult analysis.[5][5] The planet is not in the habitable zone, orbiting very close to the host star at just 0.04 AU and completing one orbit every 3.236 days. Subject to uncertainties in Alpha Centauri Bb's albedo and the likely thickness of its atmosphere, its surface temperature is at least 1500 K (roughly 1200 C), far too hot for liquid water and also above the melting temperatures of many silicate magmas. For comparison, the surface temperature of Venus, the hottest in the solar system, is 735 K (462 C).
References
- ^ http://www.eso.org/public/news/eso1241/
- ^ http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/17/science/space/new-planet-found-in-alpha-centauri.html
- ^ http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/earth-sized-planet-found-solar-system-17492821#.UH3VzFHwF8E
- ^ http://io9.com/5952357/scientists-discover-a-planet-in-alpha-centauri-the-star-system-nearest-earth?utm_campaign=socialflow_io9_facebook&utm_source=io9_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow
- ^ a b Wall, Mike (2012-10-16). "Discovery! Earth-Size Alien Planet at Alpha Centauri Is Closest Ever Seen". Space.Com web site. TechMediaNetwork. Retrieved 2012-10-17.
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