Just found this on www.timesofindia.com but I dont know the origin of story. May be you all can add something to it if you know anything!!


NEW YORK: Astronomers have discovered a new planetary system which they claim has close similarities to our own solar system.

Using gravitational microlensing, the astronomers from a worldwide network of 11 nations have spotted the system which comprises a pair of planets that are orbiting a star half the size of our sun some 5,000 light years away.

According to team leader Prof Scott Gaudi, "Theorists have wondered whether gas giants in other solar systems would form in the same way as ours did. This system seems to answer in the affirmative."

Both the planets in the system, which has been named GLE-2006-BLG-109L, are smaller than Jupiter and Saturn.

While the larger planet is a slightly smaller version of Jupiter, having about 70 per cent of its mass, the other one is only about 30 per cent of the mass of Jupiter, making it closer in size to Saturn.

The planets are also much closer to their parent star -- the larger planet is 2.3 astronomical units (AU) from its sun, while the smaller planet is 4.6 AUs out.

In our solar system, Jupiter lies about 5.2 times as far from the sun as the Earth does -- i.e., it is a distance of 5.2 AUs from the sun -- while Saturn lies about 9.5 AUs away from the sun.

The sun at the heart of the new solar system is also dimmer than our sun but the temperatures on the two planets are probably similar to those on Jupiter and Saturn because they are closer to their star.

Here (390 KB pdf) is the discovery paper. The star is called OGLE-2006-BLG-109L, or OGLE-06-109L for short.

Grant Hutchison

Here's a more direct link to the story.

Like what? The entire article talks about how the star is different, the orbits are different, and how the planets differ from Saturn and Jupiter.

I'm kind of getting tired of each exoplanet discovery being touted as "like earth" or "like our solar system" in some way.

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Numbers are not case sensitive. (me)

It's like the press-release writers think the work will be mostly ignored if they tell of a system that has little similarity to our own.

Maybe they're right.

(AP: Astronomers Find 2 New Distant Planets just for a news site faster, more reliably loading and easier to read.)

Ohio State University press release: ASTRONOMERS DISCOVER SCALED-DOWN JUPITER AND SATURN IN A FARAWAY SOLAR SYSTEM LIKE OUR OWN:

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BTW m all new to this and have been reading this 2012 stuff since last so many months and now have got so much tired of this and if nothing major happens on 21st dec 2012 then i will probably try making a news by running naked and shouting EUREKA EUREKA

One of those 'bathtub moments'? I'd like to feel that inspired by insight someday!

BTW, welcome to the forum.

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Forming opinions as we speak

just a question.. are all the moderators or senior members in this forum are any practising astronomers or is it just a hobby?

As a senior member I can answer no. In fact, relatively few are professional astronomers. There are a lot interested amateurs, of various skill levels. Many of us are just interested bystanders.

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At night the stars put on a show for free (Carole King)

One Earth, One Sky - IYA 2009

Some members are. And of course, Phil Plait, founder and author of Bad Astronomy, is a practicing astronomer.

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Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts.

Was the US Spy satellite malfunction that is going to fall on a still undetermied place on Earth result of the Solar Storms??

What solar storms?

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Gimme a minute to read through Jay's latest observations...

Solar storms of the Sun. The one that NASA is talking about that it will reach its maximum in 2011/2012

No. It malfunctioned during (or before) the launch process.

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Forming opinions as we speak

Sorry Mr. Orreal,

I meant I wasn't aware of a solar storm at the time of the satillite's launch when it first crapped out. A solar storm has to happen before it can affect something.

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Gimme a minute to read through Jay's latest observations...

This place might help you.

http://www.spaceweather.com/

Get the Sun's weather everyday. No woo, no mysteries.

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Gimme a minute to read through Jay's latest observations...