According to Reuters, a team of French and Americans astronomers have discovered that the planed called '55 Cancri e', located in the constellation of Cancer, probably has a surface composed of graphite and diamond instead of granite and water. According to astronomers, the planet has a radius twice than the size of the earth, being much denser - its mass is eight times heavier than our planet - and presenting on its surface temperatures that exceed 1600°C. Researchers have estimated that one third of the planet equivalent to thrice as much of masses of earth may be composed of diamond.
Planets consist of diamond had been detected previously, but this is the first time that astronomers can study a star of this type in such detail. In addition, '55 Cancri e' is relatively close - about 40 light years from Earth - and orbits a star very similar to our Sun. Now the question everyone should be asking: when will the next rocket leaves for there?
[Via]
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