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Updated January 13th, 2021 at 16:25 IST

KOI-5AB Exoplanet Existence Confirmed: Learn more about the KOI-AB Exoplanet

KOI-5ab, the exoplanet discovered in 2009 by the Kepler Space Telescope has been confirmed to exist. Learn more about the KOI-5ab Exoplanet here.

Reported by: Sanchay Saksena
KOI-5Ab
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Interplanetary revelations can generally be perhaps the most charming ones. Cosmologists each and every day are checking the external world, paying special attention to new planets, articles, and disclosures that are yet to be made. These disclosures help the Astronomers and researchers improve comprehension of the Earth and the Galaxy. The existence of a previously found Exoplanet has been confirmed by NASA. Many have asked to know more about the newly found KOI-5ab.

Also read: NASA Shares Breathtaking View Of ‘Fireworks Galaxy’ Located 25.2 Million Light-years Away

Also read: Astronomers Capture 'dying' Distant Galaxy Losing Its Fuel To Make New Stars

KOI-5Ab Exoplanet Really Exists

NASA’s Kepler Space Telescope first spotted the KOI-5ab as a potential planet back in 2009, but the existence of the exoplanet has been confirmed off lately. Kepler used the Transit Method to locate this Alien World. It is the second candidate for an exoplanet that has been discovered by the Kepler Space Telescope. Scientists found KOI-5ab by spotting the telltale brightness dips caused when alien worlds crossed their host stars' faces from the spacecraft's perspective.

The Kepler Telescope has been responsible for discovering around 4,300 exoplanets according to Space.com and amidst this massive number KOI-5ab was lost to them due to data deluge. The KOI-5ab is massive and stands as massive as the planet Neptune. It whips around a sun-like star every 5 earth days. This planet is extremely far from Earth at 1,800 lightyears, in a constellation called Cygnus.

The KOI-5ab was lost earlier as it created a lot of complications for the scientists to study it and actually be sure about its existence, this complication was mainly created as the exoplanet also had a companion star which created fluctuations in the analysis by the scientists. The scientists realized that the system had 3 stars and the existence of KOI-5ab was in question because the scientists were confused whether it was the exoplanet or the companion stars that were generating the signals.

The existence of KOI-5ab was then confirmed by NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) according to Space.com. Through the data collected by TESS, NASA confirmed that the exoplanet existed and was as big in size as the planet Neptune. In the system, there are three stars, the two closer stars orbit each other every 30 Earth years, and the further off 3rd star orbits the pair every 400 Earth years. The scientists have also discovered that the orbital plane of KOI-5ab is misaligned with the closer star, suggesting the star gave KOI-5ab a gravitational boot sometime in history, resulting in the misalignment.

Also read: Neptune's 'bumpy Childhood' Could Reveal Details Of Solar System's Missing Planets

Also read: 'Galactic Mystery': Astronomers Stunned By Missing Supermassive Black Hole

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Published January 13th, 2021 at 16:24 IST

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