Using micro-imaging techniques and a new space observation instrument named OGLE, astronomers from Ohio University (USA) have discovered a “Super Earth“, a new planet located in a different solar system, approximately 9,000 light-years away from Earth (1 light year = 10 trillion kilometers). This region is rich in gas giants similar to Jupiter and Saturn in our solar system.
The newly discovered planet is 13 times larger than Earth and orbits a red dwarf star that is only half the size of the Sun. American astronomers believe that this new planet cannot accumulate enough gas to become a gas giant like Jupiter or Saturn, but it is quite common in other solar systems throughout the universe. Approximately 35% of these solar systems contain planets like the “Super Earth”.
The vast distance from this planet to its star results in extremely low temperatures, reaching -330 degrees Fahrenheit (-201 degrees Celsius). Scientists indicate that this is one of the coldest planets discovered outside of Earth’s solar system. At this temperature, the planet consists only of rock and ice, as liquid water cannot exist, making the possibility of life impossible.
