Observing special flares, astronomers have identified signs of an Earth-sized planet orbiting a distant star.
Jupiter's moon Io, the most volcanic world in the solar system, has inspired scientists to find a new way to search for distant exoplanets. As Io orbits Jupiter, it acts on the planet's magnetic field, creating bright auroras in the atmosphere.
Even if we do not see Io himself, the lights pulsing in time with the hidden orbital body tell us that something is there.
Scientists have long suspected that a similar process could occur with distant planets and stars around which they revolve. Now there are the first claims that, using the new method, they discovered an exoplanet by mapping the auroras of its host star.
In a new study published yesterday in the journal Nature Astronomy, researchers were using roughly 20,000 small radio antennas set up across Europe to detect disturbances in the star's magnetic field.
They concluded that disturbances can only be produced by a rocky planet the size of the Earth, which takes one to five days to orbit a star.
Such a planet would be right on the edge of the star's habitable zone, where surface temperatures are suitable for liquid water.
Sources: Photo: Danielle Futselaar (artsource.nl)
