Roscommon observatory detects possible new planet

Roscommon-based observatory has detected what may be a new planet during routine observation of another star outside our Solar System.

Roscommon-based observatory has detected what may be a new planet during routine observation of a star outside our Solar System.

Kingsland Observatory, home to the largest modern operational telescope in the British Isles, carried out its observations in March this year and the results were recently published in 'The Astronomer', a British astronomy journal.

Director of the observatory Eamonn Ansbro described how the surprising results occurred.

"Kingsland Observatory was monitoring a recently-discovered planet from another Solar System - a so-called 'Exoplanet' - during a time when it was scheduled to pass in front of a distant star.

"This situation, known as a 'transit', causes the star's light to temporarily become dimmer.”

"By analysing how the light diminished over time, and noticing that the pattern was different from what would normally be seen - it started several minutes earlier than the predicted time and lasted much longer - it appears that there may have been an additional, undiscovered planet crossing the star's path at the same time, perhaps from the same Solar System as the Exoplanet we were monitoring."

Ansbro's explanation for his results was given further weight when other astronomers subsequently published a paper proposing the existence of a second Exoplanet nearly the size of Jupiter in the immediate region.

"It's exciting in science when one scientist's observations are backed up by other scientists' independent theoretical work.

"This was the first Exoplanet monitoring done in Ireland and it is gratifying to get such encouraging results. The next step will be to do more observations to monitor this planet."

Kingsland Observatory is owned and operated by Space Exploration Ltd., a privately-held company of which Ansbro is a Director.

"Our astronomy activities have led to a number of commercial spin-offs, including the recent development of a sophisticated long-range, high-resolution surveillance camera system.

"Now we can see objects several kilometers away as clearly as broad daylight, even in the darkest conditions."

Ansbro explained that this was a natural outgrowth from his years of experience in both industrial optics and astronomy.

Ansbro, a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, is collaborating with the Planetary and Space Science Research Institute of Open University, who are leaders in planetary science.

He is also working closely with NUI Galway and the Cork Institute of Technology on several projects relating to optical technology and optical products. These projects are expected to lead to new commercial products and more scientific discoveries.