Cassiopeia's hidden gem: The closest rocky, transiting planet
Monday, August 3, 2015 - 18:20
in Astronomy & Space
A star in the constellation Cassiopeia has a planet in a three-day orbit that transits, or crosses in front of its star. At a distance of just 21 light-years, it is by far the closest transiting planet to Earth, which makes it ideal for follow-up studies. Moreover, it is the nearest rocky planet confirmed outside our solar system.