Researchers at NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and the European Space Agency’s XMM Newton Observatory have detected in X-rays, a planet outside our solar system pass in front of its parent star for the very first time. The image was taken of a planet in HD 189733- a system which is 63 light-years from Earth. Until this discovery, “exoplanets had only been observed passing in front of their parent stars using optical light in a process known as transiting.” Continue reading for a video and more information.

The planet, known as HD 189733b, is a hot Jupiter, meaning it is similar in size to Jupiter in our solar system but in very close orbit around its star.

It is more than 30 times closer to its star than Earth is to the sun and orbits its star once every 2.2 days. The planet is a huge gas giant and its atmosphere is scorching, with a temperature of over 1,000°C.

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