Smallest Earth-like planet found

It’s just a matter of time before a smaller one is found…

An international team of astronomers has found the smallest Earth-like planet yet outside our Solar System.

The new planet has five times the Earth’s mass and can be found about 25,000 light-years away in the Milky Way, orbiting a red dwarf star.

The planet, which goes by the name OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb, takes about 10 years to orbit its parent star, a red dwarf which is similar to the Sun but cooler and smaller.

It is in the same galaxy as Earth, the Milky Way, but is found closer to the galactic centre.


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2 responses to “Smallest Earth-like planet found”

  1. wulfbeorn avatar

    They’ll need to come up with a catchier name for it: OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue.

  2. Gavin Sheridan avatar
    Gavin Sheridan

    I always thought ‘Gavinio’ would be a good name for a planet