Astronomers discovered first solar system outside our own on this day in 2001

Astromers found first solar system outside our own on this day back in 2001 and ted that multiple planets travel round same star in circular orbits. A team of NASA astromers had anunced discovery of second planet orbiting near star 47 Ursae Majoris on August 15, 2001. scientists ted that two planets around star 47 Ursae Majoris travel in a nearly circular orbit at a distance that in our solar system would place m beyond Mars but within orbit of Jupiter. 

Back n, astromy professor Geoffrey Marcy, member of team that made discovery, said that it is ‘heartwarming’ to find a planetary system that finally reminds of our solar system. NASA scientists had ted that two planets, one 2.5 times size of Jupiter and or three-quarters as large, orbit a star in Big Dipper or Ursa Major constellation. Furr, y informed that star is about 51 light-years from Earth. 

READ: NASA Is Paying 7.5 Lakhs for 'water Harvesting Challenge' on Mars And Moon

According to a press te released by NASA in 2001, Debra Fischer, a team member, had said, “Most of 70 planets people have found to date are in bizarre solar systems, with short periods and eccentric orbits close to star. As our sensitivity improves we are finally seeing planets with longer orbital period, planetary systems that look more like our solar system”. 

READ: ISRO, IISc Scientists Develop Sustainable Process To Make ' Bricks' On Moon

51 light-years from Earth

discovery of 74 Ursae Major was a part of 100 or stars that scientists had targeted since 1987. NASA astromers used 3-meter and 0.6-meter telescopes at University of California’s Lick Observatory to measure Doppler-shifted light reaching Earth from stars. NASA team ted regular changes in Doppler shift which signal presence of a planet periodically pulling star towards or away from Earth. 

Scientists back n had said that star is a yellow star similar to Sun and probably about seven billion years old, located about 51 light-years from Earth. Furr, y, however, said that although 47 UMa has a planet similar to Jupiter in mass and orbital distance, re is evidence that this star system also has an Earth-like planet. y added that existence of two gas giant planets in orbit around 47 UMa makes it more difficult for such terrestrial planets to form within star’s habitable zone.

READ: ISRO Shares Im Of Moon Crater Captured By Chandrayaan-2, Names It After Vikram Sarabhai

READ: 'Surprisingly Unchaotic' Galaxy Spotted 12 Billion Light Years Away