Astronomers Find Solar System Similar to Ours

First posted on 10-29-2008

Astronomers have discovered that a nearby star has asteroid belts very similar to those that circle our own solar system in addition to an icy ring of material swirling around the star. The presence of these rings indicates the orbits and gravitational pull of unseen planets are shaping the belts.

The star is known as Epsilon Eridani and it lies about ten and one half light years from Earth in a constellation called Eridanus. The star is visible to the naked eye and the constellation can be found just to the southwest of Orion.

Epsilon Eridani is very similar to our own Sun, but is slightly cooler and just a bit younger.

Scientists are fascinated by Epsilon Eridani and its planetary system because it so closely resembles our own solar system when it was a comparable age. Smithsonian astronomer Massimo Marengo said, “Studying Epsilon Eridani is like having a time machine to look at our solar system when it was young.”

Dana Backman of the SETI Institute, lead author of the study, added that “This system probably looks a lot like ours did when life first took root on Earth.”

Analyzing data retrieved from the distant planetary system shows gaps occurring between each of the rings. Astronomers explain the gaps with the presence of planets, at least three large planets with masses like our own solar system’s Neptune or Jupiter. The gravitational pull of such heavy planets would mold the belts in the same way Saturn’s moons keep its ring constrained.

Scientist hope that further study might reveal these planets and any additional ones that could be lurking inside the innermost asteroid belt.