Alone in Space: Free-Floating Planet Discovered

[Crisp]

Alone in Space: Free-Floating Planet Discovered

 

Artist's conception of PSO J318.5-22.

 

Galileo Galilei fought colleagues and the Roman Inquisition to defend the theory that planets orbit around stars ? four-hundred years later, what would he have made of the discovery of a strange planet, floating by itself a mere 80 light-years away from Earth?

?I had often wondered if such solitary objects exist, and now we know they do,? said Dr. Michael Liu, leader of the international team of astronomers at the Maui telescope that found the exotic celestial body.

While PSO J318.5-22, as the planet is called, might not actually upend the heliocentric worldview (it seems to have broken away from a collection of young stars), it presents a unique opportunity to scientists: Because it is not caught in any star?s glare, it allows for the first close study of a young ? and very lonely ? gas-giant planet.

 

Source

[remixedcat]

That's my ball. Whatever they do they better not try to get anything with orange near that. They have been warned.

[Sszecret Veteran]

So, a rebel planet? And it's just 80 light years away? Might as well go over there and check it out. 

[Hum]

Here's a close-up:

 

[Praetor]

yeah because 80 light years is just around the corner... :rofl:

[DocM]

Anyone seen the Lars von Trier film Melancholia?

It starts out with Earth being destroyed by a rogue planet like this. Then it goes back to tell the story of a family who witnesses the coming events.

Most notable scenes are of the collision and Kirsten Dunst's full frontal nude scene ;)

[+E.Worm Jimmy Subscriber¹]

"gas-giant planet"

 

 

 

...nothing interesting

[Raa]

Poor thing all alone there. :(

[Growled Member]

Anyone seen the Lars von Trier film Melancholia?

It starts out with Earth being destroyed by a rogue planet like this. Then it goes back to tell the story of a family who witnesses the coming events.

Most notable scenes are of the collision and Kirsten Dunst's full frontal nude scene ;)

 

I haven't see it but it sounds very interesting. I will check it out.

 

This discovery will really get the Planet X people all fired up, I'm sure.

[DocM]

Melancholia is currently on Netflix for those that have it.

From Wiki -

Accolades

Dunst received the Best Actress Award at the closing ceremony of the Cannes Film Festival.

The film won three awards at the European Film Awards for Best Film, Best Cinematographer (Manuel Alberto Claro), and Best Designer (Jette Lehmann).

The US National Society of Film Critics selected Melancholia as the best picture of 2011 and named Kirsten Dunst best actress.

The film was also nominated for four Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards: Best Film ? International; Best Direction ? International for von Trier, Best Screenplay ? International also for von Trier, and Best Actress ? International for Dunst.

Film Comment magazine listed Melancholia third on its Best Films of 2011 list.