Scientists may have detected signs of a planet transiting a star outside of the Milky Way, in what could be the first planet ever to be discovered outside our galaxy.
a star other than our own sun
This newly discovered possible exoplanet in the Whirlpool Galaxy would be about 28 million light-years away -- thousands of times farther away than those in the Milky Way. The team searched for dips in the brightness of X-rays from X-ray bright binaries, which usually contain a neutron star -- when a massive star collapses -- or black hole pulling in gas from a closely orbiting star. The material near the neutron star or black hole becomes superheated and glows in X-rays.
However, researchers will have to wait a long time to confirm whether they have discovered an extragalactic exoplanet. Due to its large orbit, the planet candidate would not cross in front of the binary partner for another 70 years, meaning it could take decades to confirm the observation.
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