VAST SISTER SOLAR SYSTEM ‘DISCOVERED’

NEW SOLAR SYSTEM DISCOVERED IN CHILE
AT 127 LIGHT YEARS AWAY WITH UP TO 7 PLANETS

CHILE (PTI) - A team of astronomers in Chile have announced they have discovered what they claim is a vast solar system of seven planets, orbiting a sun-like star, 127 light years away from Earth. An international team has confirmed the presence of the five planets and has tantalising evidence of two more in the planetary system which is believed to be the largest ever detected beyond the sun. The scientists at the European Southern Observatory made the discovery while studying a star in the constellation of Hydrus. The distance of the planets from their parent star follow a regular pattern, similar to that seen in our own solar system, say the astronomers. “We have found what is most likely the system with the most planets yet discovered. We are now entering a new era in exoplanet research: the study of complex planetary systems and not just of individual planets.” The parent star, known as HD 10180, lies in the southern constellation of Hydrus 127 light years away. The astronomers patiently studied it for six years using a planet-finding instrument called the HARPS spectrograph, attached to ESO’s 3.6 metre telescope at La Silla, Chile.

They were able to detect tiny wobbles in the star’s motion caused by the gravitational tugs of its planets. The five strongest signals corresponded to planets with Neptune-like masses, between 13 and 25 times that of the Earth. These planets, with orbit periods ranging from six to 600 days, are separated from their star at 0.06 to 1.4 times the distance between the Earth and sun. The planet would be rocky, like the Earth, but probably far too hot to sustain life. With at least five Neptune-sized planets circling inside an orbit equivalent to that of Mars, the HD 10180 system has a more populated inner region than our solar system. So far astronomers have found 15 systems containing at least three planets. The findings have been submitted for publication to the ‘Astronomy and Astrophysics’ journal.


Astronomers have discovered a new solar system that has between 5 and 7 planets, the largest known star system outside our own. This is not new, at least for the Vedic knowledge. Lord Brahma creates the material universe and the planetary systems, and his engineer, Sri Visvakarma, creates the planets where we enjoy and suffer, trying to live away from Bhagavān Śrī Krishna.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

Guru will have to be seen in the same form as we see in the Lord. He is no way inferior. /brahmānda bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva / guru-krishna-prasāde pāya bhakti-latā-bīja/ “According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout the entire universe. Some of them are being elevated to the upper planetary systems, and some are going down into the lower planetary systems. Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Krishna. By the mercy of both Krishna and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service” - (Śrī Caitanya Caritāmrita, Madhya-līlā, 19.151). By the grace of Guru and Krishna a fortunate person gets the seed of devotion when he goes around the universe. If he worships Krishna and serves his Guru, his curtain of maya will disappear and he will get the lotus feet of Krishna.

Śrīla Bhakti Kumud Santa Mahārāja :
“Śrī Guru Tattva”
A Lecture on the occasion of the
Abirbhava of Śrīpad Vamana Maharaja
Bhaktivedanta Memorial Library
www.bvml.org/SBKSM/index.htm