The hunt for planetary system similar to our own Solar System has understandably focused on a rather obvious method acting so far : looking forEarth - like planets .
But a team of researchers has instead line up a potential Solar System 2.0 not by looking for earth , but alternatively through come up a Jupiter similitude like to our own gas giant in an almost identical reach . The discovery was made using theHARPSinstrument on the European Southern Observatory ’s ( ESO ) 3.6 - time telescope at the La Silla Observatory in Chile .
“ The pursuance for an Earth 2.0 , and for a gross Solar System 2.0 , is one of the most exciting endeavors in uranology , ” said Jorge Melendez from the University of Sao Paulo , Brazil , the leader of the team and coauthor of thepaperin which the findings were published , in astatement .
Jupiter is thought to have played a key character in the formation of Earth , possibly clear out rubble and enabling modest rocky planets like Earth and Mars to organise by swinging through the internal Solar System ahead of time in its lifetime like awrecking ballock . It therefore stands to reasonableness that finding a similar planet in a similar sphere in another planetal organization could be a sign that the arrangement form in a interchangeable way to ours .
Studying the headliner HIP 11915 , 186 faint - age from Earth , the outside team encounter that it has a gas giant that is not only almost identical in mass to Jupiter , but sphere at a like distance from its host star . That major planet has 0.99 times the mass of Jupiter and orb at 4.8 astronomical units ( one AU is the space from Earth to the Sun ) . Jupiter revolve at 5.2 AU . The team observe that the size of the exoplanet can not yet be determined , owe to the method of its discovery – stellate velocity – which relies on assess the planet ’s influence on its host wiz .
While other Jupiter - like planets have been foundbefore , this is the first time that such a major planet has been found in this configuration . What ’s more , the star itself is similar in mass , penning and age to our Sun .
“ From the spectrum of HIP 11915 , we can tell that its composition is similar to the Sun , ” coauthor on the work Megan Bedell from the University of Chicago told IFLScience . It ’s think that our Sun ’s chemical composition is fairly unique , possibly due to take form rocky planets in the past tense . “ If it ’s true , then HIP 11915 has the chemical signature of a rocky planet legion , ” Bedell add up .
Jupiter is think to have swept through the early Solar System , illustrated , allowing jolty planets like Earth to form . NASA .
The find of a Jupiter - comparable satellite is arguably more important though , considering the key role that we opine Jupiter may have play in the establishment of Earth as we cognise it . “ Current theory paint a picture that Jupiter enabled the shaping of our inner Solar System because it migrated into Mars ' current orbital aloofness and assoil out [ some of the ] rubble from the inner Solar System with its gravitational force , ” said Bedell . This start the smaller rocky planet to form , due to the special debris available , rather than large gasoline giants .
“ After Jupiter migrated back out again , smaller planets like Earth and Mars were able to form without as much preventative . So if this is true , then having a Jupiter - like major planet would make small-scale rocky worlds more likely to make , " said Bedell .
At the minute , the squad is ineffective to confirm or deny whether there are rocky planets in the HIP 11915 system , although this could be potential with the ESO ’s upcoming rocky planet - huntingESPRESSOinstrument , due to be install on the Very Large Telescope ( VLT ) in Chile next yr .
But the discovery of this gas goliath in a relatively long - period orbit could be a step toward finding Earth - sized planets in thehabitable zonesof Sun - alike stars . So far in planet hunting , gas giants have almost solely been happen in unaired sphere around their stars , turning them into so - called“hot Jupiters ” .
“ This discovery is , in every respect , an exciting sign that other solar system may be out there hold off to be let out , ” Bedell said in astatement .
