Remains of a dying star in NGC 3242

Credits: +NASA 

A pink exoplanet found

Dear followers,

an international team of astronomers has found a giant planet around the start GJ 504. The new exoplanet, called GJ 504b, has been discovered thanks to infrared data from the Subaru Telescope in Hawaii. This giant planet is the lowest-mass planet (several times the mass of Jupiter) detected around a start like the sun using direct imaging techniques.

The distance between GJ 504b and its sun is nine times the distance Jupiter-Sun. This point poses a challenge to theoretical ideas of how giant planets form.

The astronomer team estimates the system of the Sun GJ504 located in the constellation Virgo is about 160 million years old. This estimated has been based on methods that link the start's color and rotation period to its age.

The race to find exoplanets is still growing all around the world, and astronomers works hard to find a possible planet with life conditions.

Mars, Jupiter and Mercury today from Brazil

Credits: Raphael Melo

Conjunction of triple planets : Jupiter, Venus and Mercury

Dear follower,

yesterday night, a rare spectacular event happened: people all around the word could see 3 planets in the sky in same time: Jupiter, Venus and Mercury.
This kind of event is very rare; actually the last time it happened was in May 2011 and it won't happen again until October 2015.
For people who could not see it I will propose you some picture taken by fans and a video:

Credits: Chri Schur

Credits: Thierry Legault

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