Science & Technology - Posted by Eric Gershon-Yale on Thursday,
October 11, 2012 12:50 - 0 Comments Diamond planet is twice the
size of Earth YALE (US) — A rocky planet twice the size of Earth
that is orbiting a nearby star appears to be made largely out of
diamond, new research suggests. The planet—called 55 Cancri
e—has a radius twice Earth’s, and a mass eight times greater,
making it a “super-Earth.” It is one of five planets orbiting a
sun-like star, 55 Cancri, that is located 40 light years from
Earth yet still visible to the naked eye in the constellation of
Cancer. It orbits at hyper speed—its year lasts just 18 hours,
in contrast to Earth’s 365 days. It is also blazingly hot, with
a temperature of about 3,900 degrees Fahrenheit, a far cry from
a habitable world, researchers say. The star map shows the
planet-hosting star 55 Cancri in the constellation of Cancer.
The star is visible to the naked eye, though better through
binoculars. View larger. (Credit: Nikku Madhusudhan; created
using Sky Map Online