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<font color="yellow">Using the ultra-precise HARPS spectrograph on ESO's 3.6-m telescope at La Silla (Chile), a team of European astronomers have discovered that a nearby star is host to three Neptune-mass planets. The innermost planet is most probably rocky, while the outermost is the first known Neptune-mass planet to reside in the habitable zone. This unique system is likely further enriched by an asteroid belt.</font><br /><br />[...]<br /><br /><font color="yellow">The outer planet also appears to be located near the inner edge of the habitable zone, where liquid water can exist at the surface of rocky/icy bodies. Although this planet is probably not Earth-like due to its heavy mass, its discovery opens the way to exciting perspectives.<br /><br />"This alone makes this system already exceptional", said Willy Benz, from Bern University, and co-author. "But the recent discovery by the Spitzer Space Telescope that the star most likely hosts an asteroid belt is adding the cherry to the cake." <br /><br />With three roughly equal-mass planets, one being in the habitable zone, and an asteroid belt, this planetary system shares many properties with our own solar system. <br /><br />"The planetary system around HD 69830 clearly represents a Rosetta stone in our understanding of how planets form", said Michel Mayor. "No doubt it will help us better understand the huge diversity we have observed since the first extra-solar planet was found 11 years ago." <br /></font><br /><br />ESO:<br />http://www.eso.org/outreach/press-rel/pr-2006/pr-18-06.html<br /><br />Space.com<br />http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/060517_netpune_planets.html <br /><br /><br />__<br /><br /><br />One step closer ET..<br /><br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>