Largest transiting extrasolar planet found around a distant star

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A computer-generated simulation of TrES-4 with its host star on the right. The planets home star is bigger and hotter than the Sun and is about ten times larger than the planet. Astronomers speculate that the large size and low density of TrES-4 may ...
A computer-generated simulation of TrES-4, with its host star on the right. The planet's home star is bigger and hotter than the Sun, and is about ten times larger than the planet. Astronomers speculate that the large size and low density of TrES-4 may cause a small fraction of its outer atmosphere to escape from the planet’s gravitational pull and form an envelope, or a comet-like tail around the planet. Credit: Jeffrey Hall, Lowell Observatory.

An international team of astronomers with the Trans-atlantic Exoplanet Survey announce today the discovery of TrES-4, a new extrasolar planet in the constellation of Hercules. The new planet was identified by astronomers looking for transiting planets – that is, planets that pass in front of their home star – using a network of small automated telescopes in Arizona, California, and the Canary Islands. TrES-4 was discovered less than half a degree (about the size of the full Moon) from the team’s third planet, TrES-3.


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