The Hubble telescope demonstrates the theory of planet formation

According to the results of a group of American scientists published in the October 2006 issue of Astronomy Journal, the images obtained by Hubble Space Telescope provided sufficient evidence to prove the theory. Arguably the planets are formed from dust and gas " disks " that fly around its star.

Epsilon Eridani planet artwork b (Photo: spaceflightnow) Research leader Fritz Benedict of the University of Texas, USA and colleagues have for the first time discovered a rare planet that shares orbit with dust and the gas next to its star. The planet, called Epsilon Eridani b, was discovered in 2000 with orbits close to the star Epsilon Eridani. Epsilon Eridani b belongs to the constellation Eridanus and is 10.5 light-years from Earth. The planet's orbit is tilted 30 degrees above Earth, at the same angle as the " disk " of dust and gas around its star.

The results of this new study have attracted special attention, because this is the first time scientists have observed the planet and the " disk" of dust and gas in the orbit of the same star, thereby demonstrate the theory of the formation of planets.

According to scientists, our solar system planets have a common connection, and new research has shown that they were formed at the same time from the " disk " of dust and gas of the Sun. The Sun is now a star in "middle age " about 4.5 billion years and its disk of dust has long since melted. However, the " Sun " Epsilon Eridani is still " young ", only about 800 million years old, so it still has the " disk " of dust and gas flying around its orbit.

The images from the Hubble telescope also help researchers determine the actual mass of the planet, about 1.5 times the mass of Jupiter, much larger than the expected result. there.

(Photo: hubblesite.org)