What makes this planet particularly interesting is that it orbits the yellow star Epsilon Eridani in Eridanus the River. Epsilon is one of our nearest sun-like neighbors, only 10.7 light-years away. This makes it one of the nearest sun-like stars to our solar system that we know harbors a planet.

The latest planet's mass is very Jovian-like, falling somewhere between 0.8 and 1.6 times the mass of Jupiter. Being a gas giant, it can't support life as we know it (still, you can't deny Jupiter's role in the development of life on Earth). It completes its orbit around Epsilon in about seven years, less than half Jupiter's orbital period. Still, its orbit is longer than most of the other recently discovered planets, some of which zip around their home stars in a matter of days.

Although you can't see the newfound planet, you can at least see Epsilon Eridani in the morning sky. It rises around 2 a.m. and stands about 35 degrees above the southeastern horizon an hour before sunrise. Click on the finder chart to help you identify this neighboring star.

I propose the International Astronomical Union the organization responsible for approving astronomical nomenclature name the new planet Vulcan. After all, as devotees of Star Trek know, Epsilon Eridani is the sun around which Mr. Spock's mythical home planet of Vulcan revolves. Although this new world may not be fit for habitation, the fictional Vulcan isn't exactly paradise! Besides, there's already an asteroid named "Mr. Spock."

Current Moon Phase

Updated every four hours, courtesy U.S. Naval Observatory