Photo Agency - Astronomy - Space - Nature

> Artwork of exoplanet Gliese 581c

Artwork of exoplanet Gliese 581c

author: Walter B. Myers/Novapix

reference: a-exo99-30035

Image Size 300 DPI: 33 * 25 cm

In April 2007 the Geneva Observatory in Switzerland announced the discovery of a "super-earth" extrasolar planet orbiting the red dwarf star Gliese 581. Dubbed Gliese 581 c, it's been called a super-earth because it is one of the few known extrasolar planets that has a mass near Earth's, and the only one to occupy its sun's "habitable zone." This image of a rocky and variegated Gliese 581 c with an atmosphere and clouds is purely speculative.

Keywords for this photo:

2007 - 2009 - ALIEN - ASTRONOMY - EARTH-LIKE PLANET - EXOPLANET - EXTRASOLAR PLANET - EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFE - GL 581C - GLIESE 581C - ILLUSTRATION - LIBRA - PLANET - STAR - WATER -