Tag: ESO

New planet could support life: ESO observatory

PARIS, France (AFP) — A new extrasolar system planet can be added to a handful of fellow exoplanets which could theoretically support life, the European Southern Observatory said Wednesday. The ESO said it had discovered the planet, Ross 128b, orbiting a star within the constellation of Virgo and it is comparatively ‘close’ at just 11 light years outside the Solar System. One light year is equivalent to 9.46 trillion kilometers (5.85 trillion miles). But in […]

Astronomers stunned by star ‘nursery’ age find

PARIS, France (AFP) — Surprised astronomers have found stars of three different ages in a stellar “nursery” in the Milky Way, throwing into question the scientific consensus on how stars are formed. The European Southern Observatory’s (ESO) Very Large Telescope in Chile spotted three distinct groups of baby stars in the Orion nebula — the closest star “factory” to Earth, a team reported Thursday. “Looking at the data for the first time was one of […]