Scientists have discovered two planets in the WASP-132 system, a rare occurrence that sheds light on the formation of planetary systems. The newly found planets include an inner super-Earth and an icy giant on the periphery of the system.
The discovery was made using data from the Université de Genève’s research team and was confirmed by a series of transit observations. The results provide valuable insights into the properties of the planets and their host star, which is an orange-hued G-type main-sequence star.
The inner super-Earth, located at a distance of approximately 0.03 astronomical units (AU) from its host, is expected to be a rocky world with a surface temperature of around 500 degrees Celsius. In contrast, the icy giant on the periphery of the system is believed to be a gas-giant with a highly eccentric orbit.
The discovery of these two planets in the WASP-132 system demonstrates the power of advanced telescopes and monitoring systems. It also highlights the ongoing efforts of scientists to better understand the complex processes involved in planetary formation and evolution.
Further studies will be necessary to confirm the properties and characteristics of these newly discovered worlds, but the initial findings are already generating significant excitement within the scientific community.
Source: https://www.eurekalert.org/multimedia/1056275