CSB #7: Densest Planet Discovered by Madhu Nori

The Canadian Space Telescope, MOST, has discovered "the densest solid planet known anywhere," as well as "the hottest known rocky world." The "hot super-Earth," which orbits a distant star called the 55 Cancri A, is part of a four-planet system 42 light-years away. Researchers say that the planet, 55 Cancri e, orbits its star in an amazingly short 17 hours and 41 minutes, which means that it is actually 20 times closer to its sun than we thought when we discovered the planet in 2005. We also measured the planet wrong: the diameter is only 60% larger than Earth's, yet it is 8.3 times more massive.

"With a year that lasts less than 18 hours, surface temperatures reaching 2,700 degrees Celsius [4,892 degrees Fahrenheit], and having the density of lead, this is hands down the most exotic world we have ever seen," said Jaymie Matthews, an astronomer at the University of British Columbia in Canada. Also, their sun would appear 60 times bigger and shine 3600 times brighter when standing on 55 Cancri e. Given its size and mass, Matthews said, "You can liken 55 Cancri e to a Sumo wrestler in a supermodel body."

Because the planet is not that far from Earth (it's star is visible to the naked eye on Earth), 55 Cancri e could prove to be a "unique laboratory to investigate the story of how planets form and evolve," researchers at the University of British Columbia said. What might we learn from this strange and exotic planet? Because there has been confusion on multiple occasions of the measurements of this planet, is there a possibility that we could be wrong again? Could the discoveries made from this planet support or contradict the Big Bang Theory?

Citations:

"Densest 'super Earth' planet discovered." Science Online. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 9 May 2011. .