Astronomers have discovered a rare “wandering” exoplanet that does not have its own star and is wandering alone in space. It is located about 10,000 light-years away and is about the size of Saturn.
The planet was discovered using gravitational microlensing, when its gravitational field temporarily enhances the light of a distant star. For the first time, scientists have not only observed such an object but also accurately determined its distance and mass.
Researchers believe that such lonely planets may even be more numerous in the galaxy than stars. In the future, a new generation of space telescopes will help to reveal the actual number of these mysterious worlds.
