NASA scientists announced that they have discovered a planet candidate outside the Milky Way Galaxy in a new study. The study was carried out by Harvard University scientists. The researchers made their observations in partnership with NASA (US Aviation and Space Agency) and ESA (European Space Agency). NASA announced the details of the remarkable and “first” study.
Planet 28 million light years from Earth
NASA announced that they have detected the first findings of the existence of a planet outside the Milky Way Galaxy. As Science Alert reports, the team used NASA’s Chandra X-Ray Observatory and ESA’s XMM-Newton Telescope. The research team named the celestial body “M51-ULS-1b”.
M51-ULS-1b is located approximately 28 million light-years from Earth. Researchers announced that this exoplanet is located in the Whirlpool Galaxy (Messier 51 / M51). However, let’s also mention that there are 5,000 exoplanets detected outside the Solar System. All of these are located in the Milky Way Galaxy. Here comes the importance of work.
The planet, which completes its orbit in 70 years, is the size of Saturn. However, the object in question is orbiting a neutron star or black hole. The researchers published full details of the study in the journal Nature Astronomy.
As for the method of the study, the team applied a new technique. The team set out to search for planets using the wavelengths of X-rays. Scientists detected M51-ULS-1b by looking at the star’s X-rays instead of light.
Lead author of the study, Dr. Rosanne Di Stefano spoke to the BBC about this method. He said the method they used is “the only currently viable method for exploring planetary systems in other galaxies.”
Meanwhile, Chandra Observatory scientists shared their findings in a video. They emphasized that it remains unclear whether M51-ULS-1b is really the first extragalactic planet. “Although the data strongly supports the possibility of a planet, the obscuration of X-rays could also be caused by a gas cloud passing near M51-ULS-1,” the Observatory press release said. ” said. However, NASA notes that with this possibility, the findings are not consistent.
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