Observations from ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) have, for the first time, determined the rotation rate of an exoplanet. Beta Pictoris b has been found to have a day that lasts only eight hours. This is much quicker than any planet in the Solar System — its equator is moving at almost 100 000 kilometres per hour. This new result extends the relation between mass and rotation seen in the Solar System to exoplanets. Similar techniques will allow astronomers to map exoplanets in detail in the future with the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT).
The release, images and videos are available on:
http://www.eso.org/public/news/eso1414/
Translations are available on other countries page: Österreich, België—Belgique—Belgien, Brasil, Chile, Česko, Suomi, France, Deutschland, Ísland, Italia, Nederland, Norge, Polska, Portugal, Россия, España, Sverige, Suisse—Schweiz—Svizzera, Türkiye, Srbija
Space Scoop - the children's version of this release is available at: http://www.eso.org/public/news/eso1414/kids/
Kind regards,
The ESO Education and Public Outreach Department
30 April 2014
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