Cometlike Neptune

Cometlike Neptune
Astronomers have found an entirely new kind of planet: a Neptune-size planet appears to be disguised as a comet, with an enormous stream of gas flowing behind it like a comet’s tail.  

The bizarre find is the first of its kind ever discovered. The strange, cometlike planet, known as GJ 436b, is orbiting a red dwarf star and is about 22 times as massive as Earth. Astronomers detected the giant gas cloud around the planet using ESA/ NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and Chandra X-ray Observatory.

Source & further reading:
http://www.space.com/29752-cometlike-planet-first-of-its-kind.html

#nasa   #esa   #hubble   #chandra   #GJ436b   #space