Send to Kindle
The exoplanets have been given the names Kepler 4b, 5b, 6b, 7b and 8b. Photo by jpl.nasa.gov
NASA's Kepler Space Telescope has detected its first five exoplanets, or planets beyond our Solar System.
The observatory, which was launched last year to find other Earths, made the discoveries in its first few weeks of science operations, the BBC reported.
Although the new worlds are all bigger than our Neptune, the US space agency says the haul shows the telescope is working well and is very sensitive.
The exoplanets have been given the names Kepler 4b, 5b, 6b, 7b and 8b.
They were announced at an American Astronomical Society meeting in Washington DC.
The planets range in size from an object that has a radius four times that of Earth, to worlds much bigger than even our Jupiter.
And they all circle very close to their parent stars, following orbits that range from about 3,2 to 4,9 days.
This proximity and the fact that the host stars are themselves much hotter than our Sun means Kepler's new exoplanets experience an intense roasting.
We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!
Millions of people from Mexico to Canada and across the United States were treated to a spectacular celestial event on Monday as they witnessed a rare total solar eclipse
On the second day of his visit to Washington, the Minister of Finance, Asen Vassilev, visited the headquarters of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the USA.
Bulgarian neurologist Ognyan Kolev has contributed significantly to one of NASA's most extensive studies, recently published in the esteemed Journal of Vestibular Research
NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter captured a photo of a new crater on the moon's surface that may have formed after the Russian Luna-25 space station crashed
For the first time, a woman and an African-American will go to the moon
The most prevalent type of star in the universe, the M dwarf, has an Earth-like planet orbiting it that appears to have no atmosphere at all. This discovery could cause a major shift in the search for life on other planets
In a move sparking controversy and diplomatic ripples, the United States wielded its veto power at the United Nations to thwart a resolution advocating for the recognition of a Palestinian state
Ukraine's defense industry is embarking on a comprehensive overhaul of Bulgarian armored personnel carriers (APCs), which are slated to be deployed to the frontline in the near future
NATO has announced plans to send Patriot air defense systems to the embattled nation
Israel launched a series of attacks with drones targeting multiple sites in Iran, triggering explosions and raising alarms across the region.
Ukraine's Prime Minister, Denys Shmyhal, issued a stark warning, stating that a third world war would erupt if Russia emerged victorious in the ongoing conflict
In a widely expected outcome, Croatia's ruling conservative party, the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), emerged victorious in the parliamentary elections
UN Happiness Report: Bulgaria's Astonishing Leap in Rankings
Bulgaria: 3 Regions With Lowest Life Expectancy - EU Report 2022
