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Space & Astronomy

Rogue planet detected outside our solar system

By T.K. Randall
August 4, 2018 · Comment icon 12 comments

Is it a planet or is it a brown dwarf ? Image Credit: Caltech/Chuck Carter; NRAO/AUI/NSF
The huge object is 12.7 times the mass of Jupiter and has a magnetic field 200 times more powerful.
Its detection by the National Science Foundation's Very Large Array (VLA) marks the first time a planetary-mass object outside of our solar system has ever been detected by a radio telescope.

The term 'rogue' refers to the fact that it exists in interstellar space and is not orbiting a parent star.

"This object is right at the boundary between a planet and a brown dwarf, or 'failed star,' and is giving us some surprises that can potentially help us understand magnetic processes on both stars and planets," said study leader Melodie Kao.
Known as SIMP J01365663+0933473, the object is only 200 million years old - making it a relative youngster compared to the Sun - and is situated 20 light years from the Earth.

"This particular object is exciting because studying its magnetic dynamo mechanisms can give us new insights on how the same type of mechanisms can operate in extrasolar planets - planets beyond our solar system," said Kao.

"We think these mechanisms can work not only in brown dwarfs, but also in both gas giant and terrestrial planets."

Source: Science Daily | Comments (12)




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Recent comments on this story
Comment icon #3 Posted by Alien Origins 6 years ago
I am sure there are millions we know nothing about.
Comment icon #4 Posted by Not A Rockstar 6 years ago
Total complete fantasy question about this I was wondering about and hoped those more knowledgeable could answer. IF something like this were to (somehow) drift this way and enter in after Mars, if its orbit did not intersect with any other planets, would we even notice changes on Earth? I was thinking about this and reasoned that possibly the adjacent planets might be affected in orbits (that thing is huge) but, it might be far enough away that Earth would not be affected. Would it, do you think? That almost became a star, it is massive.... maybe it would disrupt more than I am thinking if th... [More]
Comment icon #5 Posted by Alien Origins 6 years ago
@Not A Rockstar In order to form a more precise opinion you would have to know all kinds of information...Any planet that makes its way into our solar system would more than likely be spit out as quick as it came in but not before the damage has been done..Its going to affect the gravational rotation of our planets and could literally tear some apart as it comes through.If it's orbit is highly elliptic then its going to go straight out and back much like the fictional planet Nibiru would have done. Having said all that the planets gravity in our solar system would affect it as well... There i... [More]
Comment icon #6 Posted by Not A Rockstar 6 years ago
thanks @Alien Origins my goal was to have a clearer image in my mind of just how massive this thing is and the energies involved around it, not to foster any loony tunes sort of conspiracies. The concept for me of a near star which failed is not that clear so this helps to grasp the influences around such a beast.
Comment icon #7 Posted by AustinHinton 6 years ago
 Everyone knows doomers (good gosh there’s a term for them?) never do research. 
Comment icon #8 Posted by Alien Origins 6 years ago
Well I have not checked any of the conspiracy theory sites but I am sure they are claiming some doomsday crap. 
Comment icon #9 Posted by TruthandKnowledge 6 years ago
This sounds a lot like the planet X we hear about. Same size, same orbit pattern etc. And if that's the case, wouldn't the distance, 20 light years, gradually change as it continues on it's orbit?? Someday, it may actually come close enough to disturb our magnetic field?
Comment icon #10 Posted by Waspie_Dwarf 6 years ago
It's nothing like the planet X we hear about, that is supposedly in orbit around the sun. The entire definition of a rogue planet is that it is not in orbit around any star.   No, because it's not in orbit around the sun.   Do you mean gravitational field? Not that it is relevant as it is not in orbit around the sun.
Comment icon #11 Posted by Rlyeh 6 years ago
Why would a planet 20 light years away disturb our magnetic field more than the closest stars?  Complete rubbish.
Comment icon #12 Posted by Alien Origins 6 years ago
Like Wasp said its not rotating around any star...(Example i.e. The Earth rotates around the Sun, the Sun being a star not a planet.) Gravitational force works both ways in this instance...Planets with in our own solar system will also effect it...Thats part of the problem with this Nibiru BS...Any planet that wonders that close to our solar system will literally be shot out like cannon! Now thats not to say its not going to do some damage before it exits though. Do the math...20 light years is 117,394,272,000,000 miles....Light travels at 186,000 miles per second...Light can travel 1,467,42... [More]


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