Pair of gas giants like Jupiter and Neptune found orbiting a Sun-like star; Know more

Planet-like celestial bodies were discovered orbiting around a star similar to the sun. According to Sciencealert.com, the pair of gas giants was found orbiting just 175 light years away. While one object was about half the mass of Jupiter, the other one is nearly 2.5 times the mass of Neptune. The discovery was submitted to the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. According to Science Alert, the discovery helps understanding a variety of systems that can orbit Sun-like stars. 

The scientist identified the name of the star HIP 104045, which showed sun-like abilities. Such discovery keeps the hopes of scientists finding the second earth alive. While the planet we live on is our only blueprint of life, the architecture of our solar systems plays a crucial role in the subsistence of human life. For example, Jupiter’s place in the solar system is extremely crucial, since it protects the inner system from the constant bombardment of small rocks. 

Is this discovery a rare phenomenon?

According to astronomers led by Thiago Ferreira of the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil, the discovery is a rare phenomenon. It is rare since earth-sized planets are more common to find in the universe than giant planets. "Small Earth-sized planets are more common than giant planets. These factors open precedents to the search for Earth-like planets around Sun-like stars by primarily looking for Jupiter-like planets,” Ferreira asserted. 

Since the year 2014, astronomers have been using High Accuracy Radial velocity Planet Searcher (HARPS) at the European Southern Observatory's La Silla to search for planets revolving around stars like the Sun. The 3.6-metre telescope in the Chilean Atacama Desert enabled researchers to observe several planetary systems. According to Science Alert, the HIP 104045 star is a near-perfect match to that of the Sun. The discovered star is 4.5 billion old, while the Sun is 4.57 billion years old. The star is 1.03 times the Sun’s mass. While a lot of the information about the planetary system remains unknown, the discovery has opened doors for many possibilities.