Astronomers Spot Two Starless Rogue Planets Drifting Through Space



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Astronomers Spot Two Starless Rogue Planets Drifting Through Space

Composite: NASA JL / Caltech & Pixabay

Over the past year or so, different scientific studies have argued that so-called 'rogue planets' (ie, planets without a star to orbit) should be extremely rare or extremely rare. So far, astronomers have had a hard time actually, because they tend to drift through the darkness of space, away from sources of light. Despite the difficulty, astronomers from Warsaw University.

SIMP J01365663 + 0933473 (that's a mouthful), which has been identified as a planet with an incredibly powerful magnetic field. OGLE-2017-BLG-0560 and OGLE-2012-BLG-1323, both spotted with the help of the Optical Gravity Lensing Experiment (OGLE). The project operates on the knowledge that it can be seen by planets that come between that light and an observer (like a telescope here on Earth). By measuring the distortions in the light, scientists can judge the properties of the planet.

There is a problem, however. Estimating the size of these two themes is difficult because of the distance between Earth and the mass of the planet. OGLE-2017-BLG-0560 and OGLE-2012-BLG-1323 may be broad and far closer, but the data from the light would be the same. It's a difficult situation for astronomers, who are still trying to unravel the nature or origin of these rogues.

Some of the current theories about how to play end-of-the-road planes with other stars (or even black holes), a rough formation period that involves or near-misses with other planets, or they coalesced away from a star the first place. If you're interested in learning more, check out this video and article by Fraser Cain.

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