In a major discovery in astronomy researchers have discovered an asteroid belt beyond the solar system.
New measurements have pinpointed that a star named Zeta Leporis is surrounded by an asteroid belt that lies about the same distance from the star as the solar system’s asteroid belt does from sun.
There has been other evidence for asteroids belts beyond the solar system but all of them are cool and are located far away from their parent stars. However this belt that surrounds Zeta Leporis is at a distance of 3 Astronomical Units from the star. Likewise the solar system’s asteroid belt is stretching from 2.1 to 3.3 AU from the sun.
We also have to consider the fact that these asteroid belts are nothing but the remains from the planet forming process. Since Zeta Leporis is a young star has formed planets. Thus we can also expect to see some earth like planets outside the solar system.
The researchers are carrying the research another step forward and are attempting to determine the shape of this asteroid belt as well as trying to gather some information about the planets of this star.
Via: physorg
