[meteorite-list] AMATEURS HELP DISCOVER EXTRASOLAR PLANET

[Sterling K. Webb]

Hi,

    The really interesting thing about this planet is that it is 15,000
lightyears away, toward the Galactic Center.  It's way downtown!
    Planets everywhere.  Lovely thought.

Sterling K. Webb
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<http://SkyandTelescope.com/news/article_1517_1.asp>

AMATEURS HELP DISCOVER EXOPLANET
    In a milestone event, amateur astronomers  participated directly in
the
discovery of an extrasolar planet last month. The amateurs, who hail
from
New Zealand, made crucial observations that helped several international

collaborations of professional astronomers nail down the existence of
the
planet. Amateur astronomers have previously detected the presence of
exoplanets, but only after professionals made the initial findings.
    The newly discovered planet is just the second one found by
gravitational
microlensing, an effect predicted by Einstein's general theory of
relativity....