Overlooked Exoplanet Found by Citizen Scientists

A massive planet or brown dwarf, 1600 AU from its star, was found by citizen scientists in the Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 project.

IMAGE: At left, the NASA WISE image of the BD+60 1417AB system. At right bottom is the host star and companion, and at top right is a zoom-in on the new low-mass world. The image is a color-composite from multiple WISE bands. CREDIT: Backyard Worlds collaborator Léopold Gramaize

During a post-show Q&A the other day, we discussed how the only exoplanet stories we’re getting these days are about the wildest and weirdest planet discoveries…