Indian scientists have discovered a new planet . With this discovery of new planet India joins a club of selected nations, who have discovered and measured a planet . Till now India was the out of this club because none of planet was discovered by India but now India joined it. In actually it's not a planet its  Exoplanet . Discovery of a Sub - Saturn Exoplanet around a Sun - Like star .Before more explanation about this new exoplanet let we explain what is an exoplanet .


What Are Exoplanets ?

Planets outside of our soar system are called exoplanets . Most of these are part of Star System . There are some "rogue " exoplanets , which are not attached to any star system.

When Was First Exoplanet Discovered ?

The first exoplanet 51 Pegasi b was discovered in 1995 by Michael Mayor and Didier Quetoz.

Highlights :-

◆ A team of scientists from the Physical Research Laboratory ( PRL ) , Ahemdabad discovered a Sub - Saturn or Super Naptune size exoplanet which is about 27 times the mass of earth and six times the radius of earth .

◆ The planet revolve around a Sun - Like star , around 600 light years away from earth.

Name Of The Host Star :-

EPIC 211945201 or K2-236 and the planet will be known as EPIC 211945201 b or K2-236 b.

Discoverey Of Exoplanet :-

The surface temperature of planet was found to be around 600 ℃ , as it is very close to to host star  in comparison with earth - sun distance . This might make it uninhabitable.

Importance :-

◆  This detection was important  , as it adds to a spare catalogue of confirmed exoplanets with masses between 10 and 70 M earth and radii between 428 R earth , whose masses and radii are measured to a precision of 50% or better.

◆  Only 23 such systems are known to this date with such precise measurement M and R.

 Physical Research Laboratory :-

The Physical Research Laboratory ( PRL ) is a National Research Institution of space and allied sciences , supported mainly by development of Government of India , known as the cradle of space sciences in India , the PRL was founded on 11 November 1947 by Dr. Vikram Sarabhai.

Mount Abu Observatory :-

Mount Abu Observatory ( MAO ) is an important part of PRL . It is located near the town Mount Abu , in the state of Rajasthan. The observatory is at altitudes of 1680 meters and is adjacent to Guru Shikhar , highest peak of the Aravali Range .

Mount Abu has about 200 cloud free nights of which nights a year can be used for photometric observations.

PRL Advanced Radial - velocity All - sky Search

PRL Advanced Radial  - velocity All - sky Search ( PARAS ) to detect extra solar planets using the radial velocity technique began in April 2018.