Scientists discover smallest extrasolar planet

[Geekyfanboy]

Spanish scientists announced the discovery of the smallest planet outside of our solar system Wednesday reports the Associated Press.

The new planet, GJ 436T, is located 30 light years from Earth. It was discovered by a team led by Ignasi Ribas through a technique observing the planet's gravitational pull on other planets already discovered around the same star in the constellation of Leo.

This new technique "will allow us to discover in less than 10 years the first planet resembling earth in terms of mass and orbit," said Ribas.

"GJ 436T" has a mass five times the size of Earth, which makes it the smallest extrasolar planet among the roughly 300 identified so far, Ribas said in announcing the discovery.

He said the new planet is uninhabitable due to the distance that separates it from its star, which is far less than that between the earth and the sun.

To sustain life, a planet must have a mass similar to that of earth, liquid water on its surface, an atmosphere and a similar orbital distance from its star as that of the earth from the sun.

Initial calculations by the team indicated that "GJ 436T" rotates in 4.2 earth days and orbits its star every 5.2 days.