Citizens’ scientists are helping to hide a gigantic planet 3 times heavier than Jupiter from ordinary view.

Published:

16 ene 2022 21:55 GMT

It is located 379 light-years from Earth and has an orbital period of 261 days.

Citizen Scientists team with astronomer Paul Talpa of the University of California at Riverside, General In the journal Astronomy, the discovery of a giant galaxy that was difficult to estimate by conventional stellar techniques, Was contacted Educational Institution this Thursday.

The TOI-2180 b object has the same diameter as Jupiter, and its difference is three times larger. It was also decided to keep up 105 times Earth’s mass is thought to be denser than Jupiter’s, with heavier elements such as hydrogen and helium.

The scientist explained that it was its orbital period 261 days, Takes time to complete a journey around its star, which is thought to be relatively long compared to other similar galaxies. 379 light years From the earth.

How was the planet TOI-2180 b discovered?

The planet was discovered in February 2020 by Tom Jacobs, a volunteer with the Visual Research Group, after discovering a map showing stellar light over time, obtained from NASA by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). That The light of the stars near TOI-2180 b dimmed Less than half a percentage point and then Returned to its previous brightness In 24 hours.

Let me explain this An orbiting planet that ‘passes’ when moving in front of a star From our point of view. By measuring the amount of dim light as the planet passes by, researchers can estimate the size of the planet and its density along with other measurements. However, a star and its planet can only see a traffic if they line them up with telescopes.

Planetary measurements were made using the Automatic Sphere Detector Telescope at Lick Laboratory in California and the Keck 1 Telescope at the WM Keck Laboratory in Hawaii. This allowed the gravitational force to know the mass of the TOI-2180 b and to estimate the range of its orbital potential.

Scientists wanted to capture the planet’s second transport event, so Talpa organized a surveillance campaign with professional astronomers and citizen scientists using telescopes. 14 Distributed on different platforms Three continents In August 2021, but the images they received were not very accurate.

Scientists predict that TESS will cross its star again next February, when its orbit is over. “The discovery and release of the TOI-2180b is an excellent team effort that has proven that professional astronomers and experienced citizen scientists can work successfully together.” Commented Paul Dalpa in NASA Newsletter.

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