Mollys Dad Posted October 20, 2012 Report Share Posted October 20, 2012 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/49375536/ns/technology_and_science-space/#.UILlwYa0KSo Move over, Hope Diamond. The most famous gems on Earth have new competition in the form of a planet made largely of diamond, astronomers say. The alien planet, a so-called "super-Earth," is called 55 Cancrie and was discovered in 2004 around a nearby star in our Milky Way galaxy. After estimating the planet's mass and radius, and studying its host star's composition, scientists now say the rocky world is composed mainly of carbon (in the form of diamond and graphite), as well as iron, silicon carbide, and potentially silicates. At least a third of the planet's mass is likely pure diamond. "This is our first glimpse of a rocky world with a fundamentally different chemistry from Earth," lead researcher Nikku Madhusudhan of Yale University said in a statement. "The surface of this planet is likely covered in graphite and diamond rather than water and granite." 55 Cancri e is the first likely "diamond planet" to be identified around a sun-like star, though such worlds have been theorized before. Planets like this are vastly different from our Earth, which has relatively little carbon. "By contrast, Earth’s interior is rich in oxygen, but extremely poor in carbon — less than a part in thousand by mass," said study co-author and Yale geophysicist Kanani Lee. 55 Cancrie is what's known as a super-Earth, with a radius twice as wide as that of our own planet, and a mass eight times greater. It speeds around its host star, making a full orbit in just 18 hours (Earth takes 365 days). It is so close in to the star that its surface temperature reaches a scorching 3,900 degrees Fahrenheit (2,100 degrees Celsius), making it probably way too hot for life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Removed #5 Posted October 20, 2012 Report Share Posted October 20, 2012 It is so close in to the star that its surface temperature reaches a scorching 3,900 degrees Fahrenheit (2,100 degrees Celsius), making it probably way too hot for life. Not prone to understatement I'd say! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollys Dad Posted October 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2012 Yes, but think of the mineral extraction rights! I'm sure *someone* out there is rubbing their hands in glee. Probably the kind of person who has a 'lair' in an extinct volcano and strokes a white cat whilst sitting in a large chair... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mydiamond Posted October 21, 2012 Report Share Posted October 21, 2012 I forgot is it Neptune or Uranus but one of these little planets were said to have a diamond river. I thought that's the coolest thing I've ever heard, but now they found a planet almost made of diamonds O.O Imagine what gonna happen if people found a way to bring those diamonds over! Diamonds would be so easy to get the price drops down, and people would use, errr... I don't know garden gravels for their wedding ring? x) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollys Dad Posted October 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2012 Never heard of a diamond river - not sure how that would work. bringing that amount of diamond back here would cost so much that maybe the price wouldn't drop so much? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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