Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO/R. DiStefano, et al.; Optical: NASA/ESA/STScI/Gendler; Illustration: NASA/CXC/M.Weiss

Astronomers have found evidence for a possible planet candidate in the M51 ("Whirlpool") galaxy, representing what could be the first planet detected outside of the Milky Way. Chandra detected the temporary dimming of X-rays from a system where a massive star is in orbit around a neutron star or black hole (shown in the artist's illustration). This dimming is interpreted as being a planet that passed in front of an X-ray source around the neutron star or black hole. A composite image of M51 with X-rays from Chandra (purple and blue) and optical light from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope (red, green, and blue) contains a box that marks the location of the possible planet candidate.

Provider: Chandra X-ray Observatory

Image Source: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2021/m51/

Curator: Chandra X-ray Observatory, Cambridge, MA, USA

Image Use Policy: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/image_use.html