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> Planetary system around the red dwarf Gliese 581

Planetary system around the red dwarf Gliese 581

author: ESO/Novapix

reference: a-exo99-30019

Image Size 300 DPI: 50 * 36 cm

Artist's impression of the planetary system around the red dwarf Gliese 581. Using the instrument HARPS on the ESO 3.6-m telescope, astronomers have uncovered 3 planets, all of relative low-mass: 5, 8 and 15 Earth masses. The five Earth-mass planet (seen in foreground - Gliese 581 c) makes a full orbit around the star in 13 days, the other two in 5 (the blue, Neptunian-like planet - Gliese 581 b) and 84 days (the most remote one, Gliese 581 d).

Keywords for this photo:

2007 - 3.6M - ALIEN - ALIEN EARTH - ASTRONOMY - EARTH-LIKE PLANET - EXOPLANET - EXTRASOLAR PLANET - EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFE - GL 581C - GLIESE 581 - GLIESE 581B - GLIESE 581C - GLIESE 581D - HABITABLE ZONE - ILLUSTRATION - LA SILLA - LIBRA - MAYOR MICHEL - PEPE FRANCESCO - PLANET - QUELOZ DIDIER - RED DWARF - STAR - WATER -