32 New Planets Found Outside Our Solar System
Recently, astronomers have added thirty-two new planets to the list of planets orbiting our solar system. The newly discovered planets range from five times the mass of Earth up to eight times the mass of Jupiter. These planets have challenged current theories of how planets are formed and have been found orbiting different types of stars. Some of these stars do not contain any metal; planets do not generally form around stars lacking metal. The planets that have a smaller mass are the ones that have a chance of containing extraterrestrial life. This means that planets that may contain forms of life would be close to Earth’s mass. The 32 new planets were found over the past five years using an instrument called a spectrograph.
I found this article particularly interesting because it reinforced the fact that our solar system is massive and the discoveries never end. It is amazing that there are planets that exist that are eight times the mass of Jupiter. This article was also engaging because it challenged the current theory that planets would not tend to form around metal-poor stars. Theories are constantly being created and adjusted around the solar system. Revising the theory of planet formation might even increase the number of star systems in the Universe. This article ties back into our solar system unit.
Owen, James. "32 New Planets Found Outside Our Solar System." National Geographic News. 19 Oct. 2009. Web. 20 Oct. 2009.
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