Another interesting space discovery

An artist's interpretation which shows the free-floating planet CFBDSIR2149, at 100 light years away 

A team of astronomers have published a study stating that they have discovered what they believe is a huge rogue planet (which is several times larger than Jupiter) that is the closest of it's kind- located approx. 100 light years away.

This planet was observed at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope located in Mauna Kea in Hawaii. They were searching for 'brown dwarfs' but this was unsuccessful.

This planet is approx 4-7 times the size of Jupiter. It was discovered by the infrared glow that is emitted from its core.

Based on their research, the astronomers believe with a high probability that this is a young, free-roaming planet rather than a brown dwarf. It is moving with a group of stars.

Required background information:
1. Size of Jupiter- Equatorial diameter is 143,000 km. Jupiter's mass is 318 times that of Earth's.

2. Rogue planet- Free-floating, nomad planet, orphan planet (not gravitationally bound to any stars or brown dwarf.

3. Brown dwarf- Brown dwarfs are objects which have a size between that of a giant planet like Jupiter and that of a small star. 

****This discovery definitely gives scientists and astronomers world wide another angle to discover and further study is essential.

There is real potential in further astronomy study.


Source: http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/geekquinox/not-lost-space-astronomers-spot-potential-rogue-planet-174447512.html
http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/questions/question62.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogue_planet
http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2012/11/14/sci-rogue-planet.html
http://www.universetoday.com/15149/size-of-jupiter/