COROT spots new exoplanet

Stephen Withers
Friday, 04 May 2007 06:17

Science - Space

The COROT satellite has detected a gas giant orbiting a distant Sun-like star.

COROT's instruments can measure the luminosity of a star so accurately that it is possible to detect the periodic dimming as its planets pass between the star and the spacecraft.

The planet, dubbed COROT-Ex-1b, is a gas giant about 1.78 times the size and 1.3 times the mass of Jupiter. It is some 1500 light years away.

As processes are refined, the COROT team expect to be able to detect planets the size of Earth.

COROT is a project of the French space agency CNES with the participation of ESA, some of its member countries, and Brazil.