Sun, Moon, Stars and 5 Planets

Posted on December 7, 2007
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Astronomers discover a new planet approximately 41 light years away along with 4 other planets surrounding a star, known as 55 Cancri (a sun-like star) in the constellation Cancer. Apparently, the planet resides in a place referred to as a habitable zone with planet features of liquid water and mild temperatures, however, the planet is more like Saturn than Earth and therefore, in its current form would not support life.

The newly discovered planet along with the other 4 planets, make it the first known planetary quintet not within our solar system. Although other planets have been shown to orbit stars other than our sun (roughly 250 planets), these mostly have 3 or less planets orbiting a star. There is only one known case of a star with 4 planets orbiting it. With the newly discovered planet orbiting the star 55 Cancri this now holds the record for the greatest number of confirmed planets orbiting it a star with 5 planets.

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