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Scientists have spotted a few k exoplanets, or planets orbiting stars other than our sun. Exomoons are another story. There have been some potential exomoons, but nothing definitive. At present, a squad from Columbia University thinks it might take the start solid evidence of a moon outside our solar system, and Hubble is going to give information technology a look.

While we haven't been able to place any exomoons in the by, nosotros have every reason to retrieve they exist. After all, most planets in our solar arrangement take at least one moon. In the case of gas giants, there can be dozens of moons. Many of the exoplanets that can exist reliably detected by current methods are gas giants, so there ought to be moons. Alex Teachey and David Kipping at Colombia may take constitute testify of one in information from the planet-hunting Kepler spacecraft.

The exoplanet in question is known as Kepler 1625b and orbits a star about iv,000 light-years away. The potential exomoon has been dubbed "Kepler 1625b i." The Kepler mission uses the transit method of detecting exoplanets. As a planet passes in front of its star, Kepler registers a small driblet in luminance. By analyzing the repeating pattern of these drops, scientists can determine a planet's size, orbital characteristics, and temperature. In the case of Kepler 1625b, there'due south a second, smaller dip in brightness that occurs ahead of or behind the main one, which could indicate a moon in orbit.

The team analyzed 284 planets looking for exactly this kind of signal, and Kepler 1625b "popped out." The transit method is not sensitive enough to find what we would normally think of as a "moon," but Kepler 1625b i isn't like whatever moon in the solar system. Kepler 1625b is about the size of Jupiter, and possibly as much as ten times equally massive. The exomoon, if it exists, could be the size of the planet Neptune. Thus, information technology'southward been nicknamed "Neptmoon." Something that large is within the detection limits of Kepler, just many smaller moons would still go unnoticed.

Hubble in orbit

Kepler 1625b will transit in forepart of its star again on Oct 29th, and the team intends to be watching with the Hubble telescope when that happens. This could offer proof that Neptmoon is indeed a behemothic moon in orbit of Kepler 1625b.

Astronomers are bang-up to show that exomoons exist because these objects are considered a potential domicile for alien life in orbit of uninhabitable gas giants. Future instruments similar the Webb Telescope should also help identify smaller exomoons that are more hospitable to life as we know information technology.

At present read: The 25 Best Hubble Infinite Telescope Images