Fact Sheet
Little Giant
This artist's concept depicts a recently discovered planet orbiting the star 55 Cancri (also known as Rho 1 Cancri). The planet is the fourth discovered in the system, giving 55 Cancri more known planets than any solar system other than our own. The planet is about as massive as Neptune, the fourth-largest planet in our own solar system, which makes it one of the smallest planets yet discovered orbiting a Sun-like star. It may be a gas-giant planet like Neptune, or it may be a bare chunk of rock. University of Texas astronomers, who announced the discovery on August 31, discovered the planet using the Hobby-Eberly Telescope at McDonald Observatory. Another team of astronomers announced the discovery of a similar planet orbiting the star Gliese 436. [Credit: Melody Lambert/McDonald Observatory]
|