Wrong Way Around Star

A team of scientists has discovered a new planet orbiting in the wrong way around the host star. Planet called WASP-17, and orbiting a star 1000 light years of the WASP project in collaboration with the Geneva Observatory discovered the British. The discovery sheds new light on how planetary systems form and evolve to develop, it was announced August 12, in a paper to Astrophysical Journal, submitted.

Since all planets form from swirling clouds of gas that form stars, they are expected to work in the same direction as the rotation of the star. David Anderson, a PhD student at the University of Keele and Amaury Triaud, the Observatory of Geneva, was surprised that WASP-17 job in the wrong direction, so the first planet in orbit '`` resign. Possible explanation is that the wasp was 17 years old involved in a collision with another planet early in its history.

WASP-17 appears to be victims of the planetary system, billiard game, in an unusual orbit, with an encounter with the planet `` Bruder''geworfen. Can prevail professor Coel Hellier of Keele University said: "Shakespeare said that the two planets can not take the same path of the two kings of England was right, WASP-17 has shown that was right."

David Anderson added: "The solar system can be recreated scene of violence. Our own moon is thought to be caused only by the size of Mars collided Planet Earth, which was founded recently and debris cloud that month into a lift . A near-collision in the first intensive phase of planetary systems, may also lead to gravitational slingshot throw, WASP-17 back into the orbit.

The first indication that the WASP-17 is unusual. Although only half the mass of Jupiter, has swollen to almost twice as large as Jupiter and is the largest known planet.

Astronomers have long wondered why some extrasolar planets are much larger than expected, and WASP 17-point declaration. The distribution is highly elliptical retrograde orbit would have the highs and lows experienced intense. Place the compression and expansion would heat the gas giant planet now, very swollen size. "This planet is as solid as foam, are seventy times denser than the earth, we," writes Professor Hellier.

Professor Keith Mason, CEO of Science and Technology Facilities Council funds research, said: "It is amazing, and the victory for the WASP team. Not only are these remote and mysterious planet, but more about how the system of planets like our own solar system formation and evolution. The WASP team proved once again why the project is currently the most successful project in the world of exoplanets in transit. "

WASP-17 were 17 new exoplanets (planets outside our solar system) by the extended search for planets (WASP) discovers consortium of universities in the United Kingdom. WASP team discovered the planet with a series of cameras, one hundred thousand stars, monitor, looking for small dips in light when a planet transits to them. Geneva Observatory, and the mass of the WASP-17 has shown that the mass is entitled to a planet. The WASP-South camera array, which led to the discovery of WASP-17 feet of the South African Astronomical Observatory.