Chinese scientists have made the first direct mass measurement of a free-floating object in space, confirming it is a planet with a mass similar to Saturn. The research, led by Peking University’s Department of Astronomy, was published in Science and represents a major breakthrough in studying objects that drift through space without orbiting a star.
Free-floating objects are detected through microlensing events, where their gravity briefly magnifies the light of a background star. Although about ten such objects have been found over the past decade, their masses had not been precisely measured. The team achieved this by analyzing a microlensing event observed in 2024 using both ground-based and space-based telescopes, allowing them to determine the object’s mass and distance separately.
The study demonstrates the power of coordinated space-ground observations and offers valuable insight for future missions such as NASA’s Roman Space Telescope. China’s upcoming Space Station Telescope is also expected to support similar research.
Credit : CGTN
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