In the enormous universe, there are many different kinds of planets and stars. One of the most interesting planets discovered is called OGL 2005 BLG 390Lb. It’s known as the coldest exoplanet ever found! Let’s learn more about this chilly planet, where it is, and why it’s so special.
OGL 2005 BLG 390Lb is an exoplanet, which means it’s a planet outside our solar system. It’s located about 25,000 light-years away from Earth in a group of stars called the Scorpius constellation, near the center of our Milky Way galaxy. To understand how far that is, imagine traveling 147 quadrillion miles! If you could fly at 500 miles per hour, it would take you over 33 billion years to get there!
One of the coolest things about OGL 2005 BLG 390Lb is how cold it is. The planet’s temperature is around -370 degrees Fahrenheit, which is super chilly! This is because it’s very far from its star, which is probably a red dwarf. Red dwarfs are stars that are cooler and not as bright as our Sun, making the planet even colder.
The planet is about 300 million miles away from its star, which means it takes a long time to go around it. A year on OGL 2005 BLG 390Lb is almost 10 Earth years! This long journey around its star is one reason why it’s so cold.
OGL 2005 BLG 390Lb is called a “super-Earth” because it’s bigger than Earth but smaller than planets like Uranus or Neptune. It’s about twice as heavy as Earth and is around 17,000 miles wide. Scientists think it has a thin atmosphere and a rocky surface, possibly with frozen oceans.
Some scientists believe OGL 2005 BLG 390Lb might look like a bigger version of Pluto. Others think it could be similar to a smaller version of Uranus. Either way, it’s a fascinating planet!
Even though OGL 2005 BLG 390Lb might not be a place you’d want to visit for a vacation, it’s an exciting planet to study. Its extreme cold and unique features make it an interesting topic for scientists who study space. Discoveries like this help us learn more about the different kinds of planets in the universe and how they form and change over time.
In short, OGL 2005 BLG 390Lb is special because of its freezing temperatures and its classification as a super-Earth. By studying planets like this, scientists can understand more about how planets are made and if there might be life on other planets beyond Earth.
Temperature Experiment: To understand how cold -370 degrees Fahrenheit is, let’s do a simple experiment. Fill two bowls with water. Place one bowl in the freezer and leave the other at room temperature. After an hour, check the bowls. Discuss with your friends or family how the water in the freezer changed. Imagine how much colder OGL 2005 BLG 390Lb is compared to the frozen water!
Star Distance Activity: Create a model to understand the distance between OGL 2005 BLG 390Lb and its star. Use a flashlight to represent the star and a small ball for the planet. Place the ball far away from the flashlight in a dark room. Notice how little light reaches the ball. Discuss why this makes the planet so cold and how it compares to Earth’s distance from the Sun.
Imagination Drawing: Draw what you think OGL 2005 BLG 390Lb might look like. Use your imagination to include features like a rocky surface, thin atmosphere, or frozen oceans. Share your drawing with your class and explain why you included certain features. Think about how these features make the planet different from Earth.
