First Alien Planet From Another Galaxy Discovered

Space.com ^ | 11/18/2010 | Space.com via Yahoo News

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

Astronomers have confirmed the first discovery of an alien planet in our Milky Way that came from another galaxy, they announced today (Nov. 18).

The Jupiter-like planet orbits a star that was born in another galaxy and later captured by our own Milky Way sometime between 6 billion and 9 billion years ago, researchers said. A side effect of the galactic cannibalism brought a faraway planet within astronomers' reach for the first time ever. [Illustration of the extragalactic planet]

"This is very exciting," said study co-author Rainer Klement of the Max-Planck-Institut fur Astronomie (MPIA) in Heidelberg, Germany. "We have no ability to directly observe stars in foreign galaxies for planets and confirm them."

Stars currently residing in other galaxies are simply too far away, Klement added.

The find may also force astronomers to rethink their ideas about planet formation and survival, researchers said, since it's the first planet ever discovered to be circling a star that is both very old and extremely metal-poor. Metal-poor stars are lacking in elements heavier than hydrogen and helium.

The newfound planet, called HIP 13044b, survived through its star's red-giant phase, which our own sun will enter in about 5 billion years. So studying it could offer clues about the fate of our solar system as well, researchers said.

HIP 13044b sits extremely close to its parent star, which has now contracted again. The planet completes an orbit every 16.2 days, and it comes within about 5 million miles (8 million kilometers) of its parent star at closest approach — just 5.5 percent of the distance between Earth and the sun.

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

You have to read the entire article than a sentence.It explains it to you.

[jmacusa]

‘’the Milky Way stole a planet?’’ Yes The Milky Way stole a planet/ The Milky Way stole that planet and took it far, far away/ It took that planet far far away, The Milky Way/ all on a summer day. :-)

[UCANSEE2]

They’ll let just anybody into the Galaxy these days.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks ErnstStavroBlofeld, and btw, Holy Ka-Ka!

The Jupiter-like planet orbits a star that was born in another galaxy and later captured by our own Milky Way sometime between 6 billion and 9 billion years ago, researchers said. A side effect of the galactic cannibalism brought a faraway planet within astronomers' reach for the first time ever... "We have no ability to directly observe stars in foreign galaxies for planets and confirm them." Stars currently residing in other galaxies are simply too far away, Klement added... it's the first planet ever discovered to be circling a star that is both very old and extremely metal-poor. Metal-poor stars are lacking in elements heavier than hydrogen and helium.

Here's an oldie (posted here five years ago, but the underlying story is older than that) -- there are wandering, footloose planets in our own galaxy:

• Rogue Planet Find Makes Astronomers Ponder Theory [12/28/2005]

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[annieokie]

I believe you.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks ErnstStavroBlofeld, a two-list ping topic!

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[KoRn]

This planet is orbiting the stars that Milky Way planets just don’t want to orbit.

[TexasCajun]

Who knew illegal immigration was universal?

[zeestephen]

Is anybody else seeing the “Romney Truth File” ad above Comment #1?

Calls him a “political whore” and tells his supporters to get off FR and go to “Wankers For Mitt.”

Is this a server hack?

Yes, I understand Conservative opposition to Mitt.

But this is so extreme I can only hope it wasn’t sanctioned by Jim.

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

No Problem

[reagan_fanatic]

Now we've done it...

[UCANSEE2]

Is anybody else seeing the “Romney Truth File” ad above Comment #1?

I don't. The AD shows REAGAN.

[UCANSEE2]

I take that back. I was just on another thread ( a brand NEW one) and the ROMNEY BLAST was there.

I made a comment, then after it posted, ROMNEY was gone and REAGAN was there. (although, at this time, the link underneath the video says ROMNEY TRUTH FILE) Something weird going on, I suspect.

[UCANSEE2]

Now, on this thread, the ROMNEY thing is back.

This is crazy, or I am.

[UCANSEE2]

Now I see. Every time you UPDATE the screen, the VIDEO changes.

[dragnet2]

Bookmark

[Joe Brower]

I saw that Outer Limits episode (the first one, IIRC) when I was just a kid. Scared the beejeezus out of me. It's still creepy.

[reagan_fanatic]

LOL. When I was a kid we had a sleepover at another kid’s house, and we stayed up and watched The Galaxy Being on late night TV. The bedroom was up in the attic and there were no curtains on the windows. Every single one of us was too petrified to go to sleep.