In 2010, the world of astronomy shocked by the discovery of a planet so similar to Earth than the distance to the star, the temperature, and its size. The planet is orbiting a star Gilese 581 within 22 light years of human habitation was named Gliese 581g.
The discovery of the planet is regarded as a breakthrough. Gliese 581g raised the expectations of many parties to be able to find somewhere else to live for humans. It reinforces the notion that planets like Earth common world in the universe.
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| Illustration of Gliese 581 planetary system. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1mtzURZ) |
However, the discovery of the planet anticlimactic ending. A further study on Gliese 581g turns stating that Gliese 581g actually does not exist. The object that found in 2010 and is actually just a magnetic explosion of a star.
Paul Robertson, an astronomer at Pennsylvania State University, analyzed the data that used by Paul Butler and Steven Vogt, two astronomers who published the discovery of Gliese 581g in 2010.
Not only analyze the data of the planet, Robertson also look back at the data which is used to find other planets in the star Gliese 581 ie Gliese 581b, Gliese 581c, Gliese 581d and Gliese 581e.
To confirm, Robertson see emission of hydrogen alpha and sodium from Gliese 581g. From these data, it can estimate the rotation period and the effects of stellar activity on the radial velocity of the star.
By knowing the radial velocity, scientists can create equations to determine the effects of stellar activity on the "star wobble". Butler and Vogt who previously found the Gleise 581g by looking at the "star wobble" due to gravity planets around it.
Robertson compared the results of the data analysis by Butler and Vogt. As reported by IBTimes on July 3, 2014, that Gliese 581d and Gliese 581g actually does not exist, only the magnetic explosion. Meanwhile, the Gliese 581b is expressed as planet.
How Butler and Vogt could say that Gliese 581g was a planet? As reported by National Geographic on July 3, 2014, the two researchers may be confused by the resulting magnetic explosion.
Magnetic blast that presents data similar to "star wobble" similar to that produced by the presence of planets. As a result, Butler and Vogt made a conclusion that they find a planet, but the planet was not there. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | IBTIMES | NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC]
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