70 Virginis b facts for kids
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70 Virginis b is a planet found outside our solar system. It's about 60 light-years away from Earth. This means light from it takes 60 years to reach us! You can find it in the constellation of Virgo.
Two astronomers, Geoffrey Marcy and R. Paul Butler, announced they found this planet in 1996. Its star, 70 Virginis, was one of the first stars known to have planets orbiting it. When first discovered, scientists thought 70 Virginis b might be in its star's "habitable zone." This is an area where it's not too hot or too cold for liquid water. However, they later found the planet has an orbit that takes it much closer to its star.
About 70 Virginis b
70 Virginis b is a giant planet, much like Jupiter in our own solar system. It orbits its star, 70 Virginis, every 116 days. This planet is huge, about 7.5 times bigger than Jupiter! Its surface gravity is also very strong, two to three times stronger than Jupiter's.
Its Discovery
When 70 Virginis b was first found in January 1996, scientists thought its star was only 29 light-years away. Because of this, the star seemed less bright than expected. This made them think the planet's orbit was in the "habitable zone." They even nicknamed it "Goldilocks" because it seemed "just right"—not too cold and not too hot.
The "Goldilocks" Mystery
Later, a special satellite called Hipparcos helped scientists measure the distance to the star more accurately. It showed that 70 Virginis was actually much farther away. This meant the planet was much hotter than first thought. It was too hot to be in the habitable zone. So, the "Goldilocks" nickname didn't quite fit anymore!
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See also
In Spanish: 70 Virginis b para niños
