A group of University of Toronto astronomers have become the first to photograph a planet orbiting a star similar to our own sun. Using the Gemini North telescope on Mauna Kea in Hawaii, the scientists were able to capture images of the pair, which reside over 500 light-years away.
Further tests will confirm without doubt that the planetary object is indeed orbiting the star. Despite recent discoveries of planets lying outside the solar system, none have been found alongside a companion star.
“This is the first time we have directly seen a planetary mass object in a likely orbit around a star like our sun. If we confirm that this object is indeed gravitationally tied to the star, it will be a major step forward,” said David Lafrenicre to the U of T Bulletin.
The discovery poses a new problem for astrophysicists. The distance between the two objects challenges theoretical models that dealt with the nature of planet and star formation.
“This discovery is yet another reminder of the truly remarkable diversity of worlds out there and it’s a strong hint that nature may have more than one mechanism for producing planetary mass companions to normal stars,” Professor Ray Jayawardhana told the U of T Bulletin.
