Massive rogue planet with unexplained aurora glow discovered drifting far beyond our solar system

[Judi Lynn]

Newly identified object is 12 times bigger than Jupiter
Josh Gabbatiss Science Correspondent
@josh_gabbatiss
4 hours ago

A planet over 12 times bigger than Jupiter has been found drifting alone through space around 20 light years away from Earth.

The rogue world is not attached to any star, and is the first object of its kind to be discovered using a radio telescope.

Both its mass and the enormous strength of its magnetic field challenge what scientists know about the variety of astronomical objects found in the depths of space.

“This object is right at the boundary between a planet and a brown dwarf, or ‘failed star’, and is giving us some surprises that can potentially help us understand magnetic processes on both stars and planets,” said Dr Melodie Kao, an astronomer at Arizona State University.

More:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/rogue-planet-aurora-glow-discovered-space-brown-dwarf-solar-system-a8478141.html

[dameatball]

1. Call out the Space Force!!!

Wow, very interesting article. I winder what else we don't know about.

[AllaN01Bear]

2. planet mongul is that you calling?

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

3. Actually, it's 12 times the mass but only about 20% larger in diameter.

I had a discussion last night with my astronomer son (who's doing research on exo planets) about this.

There are four other such highly magnetic orphaned planets relatively near us (between 3 and 26 parsecs away, if I recall correctly. I should have taken actual notes).

Son agrees that we are living in a golden age of astronomy. So much new stuff is being discovered so quickly that it's all but impossible to keep up.

[htuttle]

4. Paging Mr Zorg, a Mr Shadow is on the line

[Sneederbunk]

5. What are we going to do now?

[cstanleytech]

7. Not much seeing as it is 20 light years away so even if it was heading towards us it would not

get here any time soon.
Now if it was traveling at 80% to 90% the speed of light then there would be room for concern because it could be here in a little over 25 to 30 years but its not traveling anywhere near that fast.

[Sancho]

6. Death Star?

[Judi Lynn]

8. Bizarre Rogue 'Planet' with Incredible Auroras Puzzles Scientists

By Meghan Bartels, Space.com Senior Writer | August 6, 2018 12:30pm ET

A rogue, planet-size object 20 light-years away from Earth has stunned astronomers with its incredibly powerful magnetic field.

The scientists found that the object's magnetic field is more than 200 times stronger than Jupiter's, which, in turn, is between 16 and 54 times stronger than Earth's, according to NASA. How the object, which scientists call SIMP J01365663+0933473, can maintain a magnetic field so strong, as well as generate spectacular auroras, is still unclear.

"This particular object is exciting because studying its magnetic dynamo mechanisms can give us new insights on how the same type of mechanisms can operate in extrasolar planets — planets beyond our solar system," lead study author Melodie Kao, an astrophysicist at Arizona State University, said in a statement from the National Radio Astronomy Observatory published Aug. 2. [The Strangest Alien Planets We Know in Pictures]

And it's not just the magnetic mechanism that's leaving scientists with questions right now — there are plenty of other mysteries about the object, which scientists first discovered in 2016.

More:
https://www.space.com/41390-rogue-brown-dwarf-auroras-magnetic-field.html