By The newspaper
07 Nov 2023, 00:46 AM EST
Astronomers have once again delved into the trove of data provided by NASA’s Kepler mission, shedding new light on a remarkable seven-planet system centered around the star Kepler-385.
This planetary array, known for its sweltering conditions, has piqued the interest of scientists who continually refine their understanding of distant exoplanets.
Kepler-385, a star about 10 percent larger and 5 percent hotter than our Sun, is home to seven planets that closely orbit its parent star.
In stark contrast to the vast distances of our own Solar System, these planets bask in the intense glow of their star, absorbing abundant light, according to a paper accepted by The Planetary Science Journal and published on arXiv.
Unraveling the mysteries of the seven planet system
The first two of these planets have fast orbits and complete their journey around Kepler-385 in just 10 and 15 days, respectively. These rocky worlds, slightly larger than Earth, are thought to have thin, if any, atmospheres.
The remaining five planets, which are characterized as “super Earths,” have twice the radius of our home planet and are shrouded in thick atmospheres.
Professor Jason Rowe of Bishop’s University highlighted the importance of this research in a press release: “Our review of Kepler’s exoplanet catalog provides the first truly uniform analysis of exoplanet properties. “The improvements in all planetary and stellar properties have allowed us to conduct an in-depth study of the fundamental properties of exoplanetary systems, comparing them directly with our own Solar System and focusing on the unique characteristics of individual systems like Kepler-385.”
What sets this seven-planet system apart is its intricate dance of celestial bodies. The two innermost and three outermost planets exist in a state of resonance, with their rotation periods synchronized.
This amazing celestial symphony has even been transformed into a fascinating sonification:
Interestingly, this study challenges previous assumptions about exoplanetary orbits. While previous models suggested that smaller planets with more transiting companions tend to have more circular orbits, this research provides a model-independent demonstration that systems with multiple transiting planets exhibit more circular orbits.
Despite the advancement of today’s observatories, the Kepler mission’s catalog of planet candidates remains unparalleled in terms of size and uniformity. As Jack Lissauer, a research scientist at NASA Ames Research Center, notes, “NASA’s Kepler mission has discovered most of the known exoplanets, and this new catalog will allow astronomers to learn more about their characteristics.”
It is clear that Kepler data remains the gold standard for exploring the cosmos and expanding our knowledge of exoplanets.
Keep reading:
· Is there an Earth-sized planet hidden in our solar system?
· What is perihelion and why today the Earth will be closer to the Sun