• Photo
The "super-Jupiter" Kappa Andromedae b, shown here in an artist's rendering,

The "super-Jupiter" Kappa Andromedae b, shown here in an artist's rendering, circles its star at nearly twice the distance that Neptune orbits the sun. (NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/S. Wiessinger)

  • More Featured Content
Recipe: Southern Skillet Hash
Recipe: Southern Skillet Hash

This skillet hash recipe means you've got a great one-pot dish …

Obama renews call for nuclear reductions
Obama calls for nuclear reductions

President Barack Obama is calling for a one-third reduction of …

#OMG Oxford adds 'Tweet' to dictionary
#OMG Oxford adds 'Tweet' to dictionary

The Oxford English Dictionary is acknowledging that tweeting …

Teen rides whale shark in open water
Teen rides whale shark in open water

A 19-year old Florida teen doesn't think twice about jumping on…

Product review: Battling the 'Over the Hill' myth
Skin: Battling the 'Over the Hill' myth

Do you remember that whole line of “Over the Hill” birthday …

Advertisement

NASA discovers 'super-Jupiter'

Updated: Tuesday, 20 Nov 2012, 7:32 AM CST
Published : Tuesday, 20 Nov 2012, 7:32 AM CST

(CNN) - It's a massive discovery that's out of this world.

NASA scientists say they've found what could be a huge planet outside of our solar system. They're calling it a "super-Jupiter."

They say it orbits a star 170 light years away, and is about 13 times the size of Jupiter.

NASA says there's also the possibility the "super-Jupiter" could actually be a brown dwarf star.

Brown dwarf stars are able to generate energy by fusion, while massive planets are only able to slowly radiate the heat leftover from their own formation.

 

Advertisement
  • Most Popular Stories
    No Stories Available
Advertisement