Gaia-4b animation (VIDEO)

Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA)

Caption

Using in part the NEID spectrograph mounted on the WIYN 3.5-meter Telescope at the U.S. National Science Foundation Kitt Peak National Observatory, a Program of NSF NOIRLab, a team of astronomers have confirmed the existence of exoplanet Gaia-4b — one of the most massive planets known to orbit a low-mass star. Gaia-4b is also the first planet detected by the European Space Agency’s Gaia spacecraft using the astrometric technique. This animation visualises a portion of Gaia-4b’s orbital motions as determined by Gaia’s astrometric data. The star and planet are not to scale.

Credit

ESA/Gaia/DPAC/M. Marcussen

Usage Restrictions

Credit must be given to the creator.

License

CC BY

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