Scientists have discovered a huge alien planet in a system with two suns similar to the fictional world of Tatooine in the Hollywood science fiction Star Wars: A New Hope.
The new giant gas planet, found by an international team of astronomers, orbits the primary star identified as HR 7162, which is part of a binary star system 49 light-years away, in the constellation Lyra. The researchers found the planet using a method called astrometry, which precisely tracks the position of stars over time, LiveScience reported. “The techniques we’re developing could help us better locate earth-like planets in our local neighbourhood in the galaxy,” said study leader Matthew Muterspaugh of Tennessee State University. The new gas giant isn’t the only known planet with more than one sun. Researchers have discovered dozens of them, meaning double sunsets like those seen on Luke Skywalker’s home planet of Tatooine in the Star Wars movie may not be so rare.
To find the planet using astrometry, Muterspaugh and his team studied the periodic variations in the star HR 7162’s location, which indicated something big was tugging on it with its gravity, betraying the presence of the new extrasolar planet.
In principle, the astrometry method is similar to the radial velocity technique, which has been extremely successful at detecting planets’ gravitational pull by analysing the speed at which stars are moving toward or away from earth.
The researchers found that the companion star near HR 7162 is close enough to its stellar partner and the new planet that its gravitational pull could have affected planet formation.
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Dolly Bindra in Bigg Boss
New Delhi: After the entry of WWE wrestler Khali last week, the fourth season of Bigg Boss will have another new participant — TV actress Dolly Bindra.
Famous for playing a vamp in numerous TV soaps, Dolly has also appeared in some Bollywood films, including Maine Pyaar Kyun Kia and Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani.
“I am just going to have plain fun at the Bigg Boss house and I am not scared of the politics and back-biting. Most of the housemates are hypocrites. I don’t know why they are so sad inside,” Dolly said.
—PTI