18
Sep 11

CoRoT-2A: Star blasts Planet with X-rays

Source: NASA/CXC-Chandra


Image credits:X-ray: NASA/CXC/Univ of Hamburg/S.Schröter et al;
Optical: NASA/NSF/IPAC-Caltech/UMass/2MASS, UNC/CTIO/PROMPT;
Illustration: NASA/CXC/M.Weiss

A nearby star, named CoRoT-2a,  has a planet in close orbit around it. The separation between the star and planet is only about 3 percent of the distance between the Earth and the Sun, causing some exotic effects not seen in our solar system. Chandra has now found that the planet is under heavy X-ray bombardment from its star. (Read more)

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