11/14/08



Both systems appear to be scaled-up versions of our own solar system, with giant planets in the outer reaches, leaving plenty of room for smaller planets to lurk undetected in the warmer inner regions. Dust rings lie even farther out, like the Kuiper belt of icy debris extending beyond the orbit of Neptune.

“This is a window into what our own solar system might have looked like when it was 60 million years old,” Dr. Marois said.

-NYT

clusterflock: first image of a planet outside our solar system
commenter: And it orbits the Eye of Sauron.