This is actually pretty cool
Astronomers announced today the discovery of what is possibly the smallest planet known outside our solar system orbiting a normal star.
Its orbit is farther from its host star than Earth is from the Sun. Most known extrasolar planets reside inside the equivalent of Mercury’s orbit.
The planet is estimated to be about 5.5 times as massive as Earth and thought to be rocky. It orbits a red dwarf star about 28,000 light-years away. Red dwarfs are about one-fifth as massive as the Sun and up to 50 times fainter. But they are among the most common stars in the universe.
Science is pretty awesome, eh? They released a picture of it, too:
Click to enlarge.
"Hey hey, Boo Boo, I think I will link this over at basil’s picinic basket."
"I’m not sure if Ranger NZ will like that, Yogi"
"Well, we won’t tell the Ranger, Boo Boo. Hey yea yea!"
