The very first exoplanet discovered by Keck Observatory – Gliese 876b, a gas giant that’s two times more massive than Jupiter, as seen from a hypothetical moon, image credit W. M. Keck Observatory & Adam Makarenko
The very first exoplanet discovered by Keck Observatory – Gliese 876b, a gas giant that’s two times more massive than Jupiter, as seen from a hypothetical moon.
While there is currently no scientific evidence of moons, this planet likely has moons based on the gas giants we see in our own solar system.
Image Credit: W. M. Keck Observatory & Adam Makarenko
Gliese 876b is not alone; it is one of four known planets that orbits one of the closest stars to our sun – a red dwarf located just 15 light years away.
This extrasolar system is extremely compact; all four planets are squeezed in a space that is smaller than Mercury’s orbit around the Sun! As such, in the distance we see planet Gliese 876c, another gas giant, in a waning crescent.