Friday, May 04, 2007
Waiting for Gliese 581c to transit
As you know, everyone has been getting rather excited about the 1.5 Earth-radius planet that has been found in the habitable zone around the red Dwarf Gliese 581. However, for all the excitement, 1.5 radi is the minimum estimate of the planets size, it could be much larger (note to Stuart, yes , I got it wrong, I misread part of the paper). Without knowing more precisely the details of its orbit, we are unceratin about its size.
This uncertainty could be greatly reduced if we could watch it transit. This gives us a much better idea of its orbit and radius. The chances of a transit aren't good, as reported in the latest issue of Nature (sorry, subscribers only). There is only a one in 50 chance Eath and the Gliese system are lined up so that we can watch a transit.
Nonetheless, Nature reports that Dimitar Sasselov is using the MOST system to observe Gliese 581. There is a potential transit on May 7. Lets hope we are lucky, as a transit means that we can not only be sure of the planets size, but may be able to observe its atmosphere. This would really give us an insight into planets beyond our solar system.
Stuart reminds me that if you have a subscription to Nature, or institutional access, the link is
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v447/n7140/full/447007a.html
(Thanks!)
This uncertainty could be greatly reduced if we could watch it transit. This gives us a much better idea of its orbit and radius. The chances of a transit aren't good, as reported in the latest issue of Nature (sorry, subscribers only). There is only a one in 50 chance Eath and the Gliese system are lined up so that we can watch a transit.
Nonetheless, Nature reports that Dimitar Sasselov is using the MOST system to observe Gliese 581. There is a potential transit on May 7. Lets hope we are lucky, as a transit means that we can not only be sure of the planets size, but may be able to observe its atmosphere. This would really give us an insight into planets beyond our solar system.
Stuart reminds me that if you have a subscription to Nature, or institutional access, the link is
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v447/n7140/full/447007a.html
(Thanks!)
Labels: exoplanet, Gliese 581 c, transit
# posted by Ian Musgrave @ 10:38 pm 
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Ian, it will be great if it does turn out to be in an orbit that causes it to transit.
Just in case people do have online access to Nature, the link is: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v447/n7140/full/447007a.html.
Just in case people do have online access to Nature, the link is: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v447/n7140/full/447007a.html.
# posted by 
: 1:55 am
: 1:55 am
Thanks for that Stuart. I forgot to put in the link, I will edit the main articel now.
If Gliese 581 c transits, we will know so much more, I can hardly wait.
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If Gliese 581 c transits, we will know so much more, I can hardly wait.
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