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6mo ago

Astronomers Confirm Super-Earths Are Common in Distant Orbits Across the Milky Way

New microlensing study estimates 35 billion super-Earths in wide, icy orbits, challenging the Solar System's uniqueness.

This artist's concept illustrates the results of a new study that measured the masses of many planets relative to the stars that host them, leading to new information about populations of planets in the direction of the bulge of the Milky Way. This study, published in the journal Science, shows that super-Earths are common and places them in context with gas giant planets. Credit: Westlake University
Artist's conception of a large bluish planet orbiting a distant star.
Super Earth discovered by CfA scientists outside the solar system is twice the size of Earth

Overview

  • A super-Earth, OGLE-2016-BLG-0007, was confirmed to orbit 1.5 billion kilometers from a star with 60% the Sun’s mass, offering rare insights into distant planetary systems.
  • Microlensing data from KMTNet suggests that one super-Earth exists for every 0.35 stars, pointing to an estimated 35 billion such planets in the Milky Way.
  • The study identifies two dominant exoplanet populations: super-Earths/Neptune-like planets and gas giants, reflecting distinct formation mechanisms.
  • Findings indicate that planetary systems hosting distant super-Earths likely differ structurally from our Solar System, which lacks such planets in wide orbits.
  • KMTNet's global telescope network in Chile, South Africa, and Australia enhances microlensing observations, with plans to expand for more precise surveys.