Locations of the free-floating planets found
This image shows the locations of 115 potential free-floating planets recently discovered by a team of astronomers in the direction of the Upper Scorpius and Ophiuchus constellations, highlighted with red circles. Free-floating planets have masses comparable to those of the planets in our Solar System, but do not orbit a star and instead roam freely on their own.
The exact number of free-floating planets found by the team is between 70 and 170, depending on the age assumed for the study region. This image was created assuming an intermediate age, resulting in a number of planet candidates in between the two extremes of the study.
Credit:ESO/N. Risinger (skysurvey.org)
About the Image
Id: | noirlab2131c |
Type: | Collage |
Release date: | Dec. 22, 2021, 9 a.m. |
Related releases: | noirlab2131 |
Size: | 4465 x 4333 px |
About the Object
Category: | Illustrations |
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Large JPEG
6.1 MB
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