HR 8799 planetary system. Diagram of the orbits (green) of three of the planets of the HR 8799 star. Discovered in 2008, these were the first extrasol

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HR 8799 planetary system. Diagram of the orbits (green) of three of the planets of the HR 8799 star. Discovered in 2008, these were the first extrasolar planets directly observed, using a combination of the Gemini North and Keck adaptive optics systems. HR 8799 is 129 light years from Earth, in the constellation of Pegasus. These three planets are designated b, c, and d. HR 8799 b (lower right) is around 5 times the mass of Jupiter, orbiting at 68 times the Earth-Sun distance (AU). HR 8799 c (upper left, 38) and HR 8799 d (upper right, 24 AU) are both around 7 Jupiter masses. A fourth inner planet (not shown) was discovered in 2009.

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Size: 5165px × 3444px
Photo credit: © GEMINI OBSERVATORY/LYNETTE COOK/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: 2008, 8799, alien, artwork, astronomical, astronomy, astrophysical, astrophysics, celestial, ecliptic, exoplanet, extrasolar, gas, giant, giants, hr, illustration, jovian, jupiter-, mechanics, orbit, orbital, orbiting, orbits, pegasus, plane, planet, planetary, planets, science, space, star, system, universe