Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
Astronomers utilizing NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) have reported the detection of their first free-floating—or rogue—planet.
Source : NASA
This discovery challenges the conventional understanding of planetary formation, as rogue planets drift through space without being gravitationally bound to any star.
Source : NASA
The origins of rogue planets have long been debated, with prevailing theories suggesting they were either ejected from their host star systems during formation or later due to gravitational interactions.
Source : NASA
Despite simulations suggesting a high abundance of free-floating planets (FFPs) in the galaxy, their detection has been rare until now.
Recent studies propose that different formation mechanisms may account for the varying masses of FFPs, with some forming in isolation from gas collapse and others likely ejected from star systems.
Detecting rogue planets is challenging due to their limited emission of electromagnetic radiation, making traditional observation methods ineffective.
Astronomers have employed gravitational microlensing, a technique relying on the planet passing in front of a star and distorting its light, to detect rogue planets.
TESS, launched in April 2018, has been instrumental in the search for microlensing events by monitoring the brightness of thousands of stars and identifying potential targets.
Source : NASA
A team led by Michelle Kunimoto reported the first rogue planet candidate event associated with the star TIC-107150013, marking a significant milestone in understanding these enigmatic celestial bodies.