Off-Kilter Exoplanets Discovered Through Mysterious Shadow Pattern.

1 min read
Source: Space.com
Off-Kilter Exoplanets Discovered Through Mysterious Shadow Pattern.
Photo: Space.com
TL;DR Summary

The Hubble Space Telescope has observed a second shadow moving over the disk of the young red dwarf star system TW Hydrae, indicating the presence of two planets "under construction" in the system. The proto-planets would have to have slightly different orbital planes to cause this double warping. The two forming planets could be lapping each other as they orbit their parent star like two analog clocks running at different speeds. The similarities to the solar system don't end there, as the inclination of the planets relative to the plane of the outer disk is 5 to 7 degrees, which is similar to the orbital inclinations in our planetary system.

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