Astronomers have discovered a potential \"rogue\" alien planet wandering alone just 100 light-years from Earth, suggesting that such starless worlds may be extremely common across the galaxy. <\/p>\n
The free-floating object, called CFBDSIR2149, is likely a gas giant planet four to seven times more massive than Jupiter, scientists say in a new study unveiled Wednesday. The planet cruises unbound through space relatively close to Earth (in astronomical terms), perhaps after being booted from its own solar system. <\/p>\n
\"If this little object is a planet that has been ejected from its native system, it conjures up the striking image of orphaned worlds, drifting in the emptiness of space,\" study leader Philippe Delorme of the Institute of Planetology and Astrophysics of Grenoble in France said in a statement. <\/p>\n
Space news from NBCNews.com <\/p>\n
Science editor Alan Boyle's blog: It looks as if someone is taking portraits of NASA's Curiosity rover on Mars from a few feet away but who's the photographer? <\/p>\n
Orphan planet, or something else? Delorme and his team detected CFBDSIR2149's infrared signature using the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, then examined the body's properties with the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope in Chile. [ Video: Rogue Planet Has No Parent Star ] <\/p>\n
The newfound object appears to be among a stream of young stars called the AB Doradus moving group, the closest such stream to our own solar system. <\/p>\n
Scientists think the AB Doradus stars all formed together between 50 million and 120 million years ago. If CFBDSIR2149 is indeed associated with the group and researchers cite a nearly 90 percent probability then the object is similarly young. <\/p>\n
And if the discovery team is right about CFBDSIR2149's age, the body is likely a planet, with an average temperature of 806 degrees Fahrenheit (430 degrees Celsius), researchers said. <\/p>\n
There's still a slight chance that CFBDSIR2149 is a brown dwarf a strange object that's larger than a planet but too small to trigger the internal nuclear fusion reactions required to become a full-fledged star. Additional observations should help decide the matter. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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'Orphan' alien planet is found nearby<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Astronomers have discovered a potential \"rogue\" alien planet wandering alone just 100 light-years from Earth, suggesting that such starless worlds may be extremely common across the galaxy. The free-floating object, called CFBDSIR2149, is likely a gas giant planet four to seven times more massive than Jupiter, scientists say in a new study unveiled Wednesday. Continue reading