2008 Woodie Awards
SectionsProfessor aides in discovery of new planet
Robin Hoover
Issue date: 11/6/07 Section: Features
- Page 1 of 1
By Robin Hoover
The Standard
An associate professor of physics and astronomy at Missouri State University has helped discover a new planet.
Michael Reed, associate professor of astronomy and physics, has spent the last six years studying a star named, V391 Pegasi, located in the constellation of Pegasus.
"It is pretty exciting," Reed said. "It was unexpected. We were looking to see how long it takes to evolve. But anything unexpected is always exciting."
The star is entering into the Red-Giant phase of its life, and when it does so, it expands and engulfs planets that are close to it, Reed said. Our sun will eventually do the same.
"This particular star has already evolved almost to the last stage," Reed said. "In five billion years, our sun will engulf Mercury and Venus."
Reed is part of an international team of astronomers who were working to better understand the helium fusion that was taking place in the core of that star.
How the group works, Reed said, is if someone wants to observe a certain star, others in the group are asked to observe the same star; then the data is eventually compiled.
This group was started by Roberto Cervetti, from Italy, who asked Reed and several others around the world to help him observe the star, Reed said.
The significance of this planet to the community is that it was the same distance from its sun as Earth is from our sun, and it has survived, Reed said. But it is not physically similar to Earth.
"Mankind always wonders where we come from and where we are going," Reed said. "Where's our home going? Will it be consumed by the sun?"
Most of the research for the paper written was done at an observatory in Iowa, not Baker Observatory, Reed said.
However, you can see the star through the Baker Observatory telescope, Reed said.
The planet will be named the same as the star but with the letter "b" attached, Reed said.
Reed teaches introductory astronomy classes and higher level education courses at Missouri State.
The Standard
An associate professor of physics and astronomy at Missouri State University has helped discover a new planet.
Michael Reed, associate professor of astronomy and physics, has spent the last six years studying a star named, V391 Pegasi, located in the constellation of Pegasus.
"It is pretty exciting," Reed said. "It was unexpected. We were looking to see how long it takes to evolve. But anything unexpected is always exciting."
The star is entering into the Red-Giant phase of its life, and when it does so, it expands and engulfs planets that are close to it, Reed said. Our sun will eventually do the same.
"This particular star has already evolved almost to the last stage," Reed said. "In five billion years, our sun will engulf Mercury and Venus."
Reed is part of an international team of astronomers who were working to better understand the helium fusion that was taking place in the core of that star.
How the group works, Reed said, is if someone wants to observe a certain star, others in the group are asked to observe the same star; then the data is eventually compiled.
This group was started by Roberto Cervetti, from Italy, who asked Reed and several others around the world to help him observe the star, Reed said.
The significance of this planet to the community is that it was the same distance from its sun as Earth is from our sun, and it has survived, Reed said. But it is not physically similar to Earth.
"Mankind always wonders where we come from and where we are going," Reed said. "Where's our home going? Will it be consumed by the sun?"
Most of the research for the paper written was done at an observatory in Iowa, not Baker Observatory, Reed said.
However, you can see the star through the Baker Observatory telescope, Reed said.
The planet will be named the same as the star but with the letter "b" attached, Reed said.
Reed teaches introductory astronomy classes and higher level education courses at Missouri State.
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