The August 2009 discovery image of GJ758 B and C, taken with Subaru HiCIAO in the near infrared wavelength. Without angular differential imaging, the star's speckle halo (burst-like feature in the center) would overwhelm the signals from the planet candidates. Images and captions: Max Planck Institute for Astronomy/National Astronomical Observatory of Japan

A research team using a brand new planet-hunting instrument on the Subaru Telescope called the High Contrast Instrument for the Subaru next generation Adaptive Optics, (let’s just call it HiCIAO), has found and imaged not one but two possible exoplanets.

The star named GJ 758, a sun much like our own was found to have at least one and possibly two other constituents that are very possibly exoplanets – maybe.  The other amazing thing is how close the two objects are to the parent star, at about the same distance as Uranus and Neptune is to ours.  Sure that is a ways, but to be able to see them in the glare of the parent sun and at 50 light-years is astounding.

Maybe?  Why maybe?  The first object called GJ 758 B has a mass of 10 to 40 times Jupiter, and the general feeling is it is either a giant planet or a lightweight brown dwarf.  The temperature of this object is about 600 K ( 620^oF / 327^oC), you might be thinking it has to be a brown dwarf at that temperature, but the temperature could be explained by compression heating due to gravity.

The object designated GJ 758 C has a similar mass to the first, but the researchers are being pretty careful saying its presence is “suggested” and are not saying it is really there.  Better to err on the side of caution.

We will know more in about a week when the results are published and I can’t wait!

Size comparison between representatives of our Solar System (Sun, Jupiter, and Earth) and the GJ 758 system. GJ 758 B’s temperature of about 600 K makes it glow cherry-red. You will note the depiction of GJ 758 B is about the same diameter or a little smaller than Jupiter and I mentioned the mass of GJ 758 B is 10 to 40 times as massive. The size I was referring to is the mass, how much stuff is packed into the package.