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Possible Extra-Galactic Planet Detected

Posted by Soulskill on from the needle-in-a-needle-stack dept.

Nancy Atkinson writes "Using a technique called pixel-lensing, a group of astronomers in Italy may have detected a planet orbiting another star. But this planet is unique among the 300-plus exoplanets discovered so far, as it and its parent star are in another galaxy. The Andromeda Galaxy, to be exact. Technically, the star in M31 was found to have a companion about 6 times the mass of Jupiter, so it could be either a brown dwarf or a planet. But either way, this is a remarkable feat, to find an object of that size in another galaxy."

4 of 83 comments (clear)

  1. Will it help locally? by BotnetZombie · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Does anyone know if this pixel-lensing technique can help in finding earth-size planets in our local galaxy?

  2. that is ... umm ... great? by Opportunist · · Score: 3, Interesting

    But what exactly does it tell us?

    That there are planets around stars in other galaxies? Ok... has that been questioned? I mean, after all, we work under the assumption that the laws of physics are the same everywhere, so, since there are planets around our star, and planets around other stars, it shouldn't be a real surprise that there are planets around stars in other galaxies.

    That we can detect them? Ok, nice to know, but what do we gain from this? I'd guess it should be easier to gain insight from local (read: In this galaxy) planets rather than trying to get any information from planets that are by some magnitudes further away.

    Bottom line, is this anything but a penis comparison for astronomers who can find the farthest away planet?

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    1. Re:that is ... umm ... great? by kmac06 · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Many thousands of years ago the first planets other than Earth were first recognized, and only hundreds of years ago were they seen for what they are. It was less than 15 years ago that the first extra-solar planet was discovered. That didn't tell us much by itself either--but it was the first. Likewise, this is the first outside of our galaxy.

  3. Re:I get it but... by Ozric · · Score: 1, Interesting

    It's about removing assumptions from our models and getting down to actual facts.

    BIZZZZZIT.... wrong.......

    Our standard model is just in and of itself an assumption... ... We really know very little and assume a great deal about everything. Anyone who tells you otherwise knows even less.