Diamond planet discovered twice the size of Earth
French and American scientists said on October 11 that they had discovered a "diamond planet" named 55 Cancri e, twice the size of Earth and eight times the mass of Earth, orbiting a nearby planet.
It is the first planet discovered orbiting a Sun-like star and the first for which the chemical structure has been characterized.
According to Nikku Madhusudhan, a researcher at Yale University (USA), this discovery means that distant rocky planets can no longer be considered to have chemical compositions, interiors, atmospheres or biological components similar to those of Earth.
Illustration of planet 55 Cancri e. (Source: Haven Giguere).
The planet was first observed last year and scientists initially thought it had a similar chemical makeup to Earth.
However, after careful analysis, they determined that it was very different from our planet.
According to the American magazine "Astrophysical Journal Letters", the planet is mainly composed of components such as carbon (graphite and diamond), iron, silicon carbide and possibly some silicate compounds.
This planet rotates around its star very quickly, likened to lightning, and it is so close to this planet that the average temperature on the surface of the said planet is 2,148 degrees Celsius, making it impossible for life to exist on this planet./.
According to (TTXVN) - VT
