Scientists Detect a Potential Planet

Based in Westbury, New York, Valerie Varnuska enjoys spending time in nature. Valerie Varnuska is particularly interested in the night sky and discoveries in the field of astronomy.

Recently, astronomers observed what might be a previously undiscovered planet. Using the Very Large Telescope, or VLT, operated by the European Southern Observatory from Cerro Paranal in Chile’s Atacama Desert, scientists observed a bright spot near the star Alpha Centauri A. The telescope was aided by an instrument that blocked out much of the light from the two Alpha Centauri stars, making the detection of orbiting objects easier.

After 100 hours of infrared observations in May and June 2019, astronomers acknowledge the spot could be a planet, but it also could be dust, asteroids, or a glitch in the machine. If it is a planet, it is likely about the size of Neptune, or four times the size of Earth, and lies in Alpha Centauri A’s habitable zone. To further determine whether the object is a planet, researchers plan to keep observing it to see if it has moved in a planet-like pattern.

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